Ratchet: Return of the Lombaxs
by emmydisney17
Summary: During thier vacation back on their beloved planet Earth; Ratchet and Clank are once again protecting their family from another alien threat. This time it is Tachyon, who will stop at nothing at killing Ratchet and ridding the universe of all lombaxs. However when another lombax named Angela comes along with a little girl named Darby Ratchet realizes he can bring back the lombaxs!
1. Homecoming

**Ratchet: Return of the Lombaxs**

**Chapter One: Homecoming**

We open to a red ship zooming across space as the voice of Ratchet's voice narrated

_"It had been a couple of years since Clank and i had moved off Planet Earth and moved into Valdin. Today i was very excited to start my vacation away from machanical work, because i was going to spend it with my family the Spankenhiemers. I just couldn't wait to see my parents again, even if it ment mom would cover me in her kisses like she had always done. I couldn't wait to see Jake's face when i give him a long awaited hug. And Daphne to, she'd be a bit hurt if i didn't."_

Ratchet, who was stearing the ship, and Clank were approuching earth when they stopped to gaze at the planet which shined like a blue and green marble in the light of the planet's sun. They both shared a very long sigh as they strolled down memory lane. This was the very same planet they had grown up on (Well, Ratchet grew up anyway) and the very same planet they were stranded on. Yet it was a great place to call home.

"Sure brings back memories huh?" Ratchet asked.

"Indeed." Clank said "I remember everything so very well in my memory banks. Up to the day i was activated and that was around the same time you were just a four week old infant back when the Spankenhimers adopted you and me."

"Yeah," Ratchet said "And... then the general came and..." Then the lombax's expression changed into a sad one and he took out General Azimuth's Pocket watch and opened it, gazing at the picture of Kaden, his father and the general along with himself and the Spankenhimers.

_"The vacation was also for another reason. You see, my mentor, lombax General Alister Azimuth, had died four weeks ago due to an invasion he risked his very life to protect and he left me his pocket watch and his Praetorian OmniWrench to remember him by. I had become so sadden by all of this i was hardly thinking of anything else so Clank had us go on a vacation back to Earth until this depression wears off."_

"Let's land." Ratchet said "I'm sure our family's waiting for us at the field."

"Yes, lets." Clank said.

* * *

Back on Earth, the Spankenhiemers were gathered in an wide open field far from the city awaiting the arrival of Ratchet and Clank when the Lombax's ship desended from the sky and landed with ease on the grass field. The hatch opened and Ratchet and Clank hopped out and the Spankenhiemers waved at the pair as they cried in union "Welcome home Ratchet and Clank!"

Mr. Spankenhiemer ran forward and smothered her lombax son with lots of kisses as she cooed "How's my loveable, fuffy baby boy doing? Did you remember to brush and floss? Do you have extra underwear like i told you to wear?"

"Mom!" Ratchet groaned "I'm not a baby! I'm pratically full grown!"

"You're always mommy's baby boy you cuddly little ball of kitty fluff." Mr. Spankenhiemer cooed as she smoshed Ratchet's face while Clank giggled at his friend's humiliation as he cried "MOOOM!"

Inspite of the humiliation his mother was giving him, Ratchet still felt happy to see her. The Spankenhimers were a great family, the only family he had known in years and since then he'd never thought of them as anything else (Save for Daphne who was still a pain in the neck).

"Well Ratchet," Jake said as he walked up to his big brother "I've got a lot of stuff to tell you about since you've been gone."

"And i can't wait to hear about it." Ratchet said as he ruffled his little brother's hair playfully "Hey, you've gotten bigger over the years! Just how big did you get while i was gone?"

"Enought to pratically lift you up." Jake said as he hugged Ratchet, trying to pull him off the ground but only managed to do so for a few seconds.

"Whoa! You have gotten big!" Ratchet said as he laughed while Jake tried to catch his breath.

"Grandfather," Clank asked Grandpa "How have you and the family been doing?"

"A heck of a lot better," Grandpa said "You guys are pratically celebraties and since we raised you, we're like celebraties too."

"Well," Ratchet said "I'm not here to sign papers all day. I'm here to relax."

"Well, then allow us to handle your bags son," Mr. Spankenhiemer said as he walked over to Ratchet's ship before the ship suddenly rose in the air and cried in a female digital voice "Don't you dare place those greasy hands on me!"

"Waaahgh! The ship talks!" Mr. Spankenhiemer cried as he fell backwards and the family gasped in union.

"Yeah," Ratchet said with a grin "I should've warned you about that." he turned to the ship and said "Aphelion, it's ok. They're not foes, they're my family. They raised me and took care of me for a very long time."

"Oh? Well, that is unusual for a strange race of low-inteligent aliens to raise such a highly trained space hero." The ship said "But all and all, it's a peasure to finaly meet your family."

"Well, burst my buttons." Grandma said as the ship landed again "A ship that actually talks. Fancy that, they think of everything out there in space!"

"Yeah," Ratchet said "She's been used by Lombaxs like me long ago and... well, let's just say being an inventer has it's perks."

Suddenly Ratchet was knocked down when Doofus tackled him and began to lick his face as the lombax cried "Ack! Down Doofus! Down! Ok, i missed you too boy! Easy!"

Clank smiled as the dog continued to lick Ratchet's face before he noticed Daphne was holding something in her hand and asked "What is that?"

"Nothing," Daphne said as she quickly shoved it into her pocket.

Before Clank could further question Daphne Ratchet sat up and said "Ok, now that that's settled, let's get out of here and quick before we attract a large crowd."

"That could be a problem with your ship here." Mrs. Spankenhiemer said "Which, by the way is a very beautiful ship."

"She has good taste." Aphilion said simpley.

"Ok, stand back." Ratchet said before he pulled out a shrink way and shrunk his ship to the size of a toy plane before picking her up and turing to his family saying "Ok, it's offical. Ratchet and Clank are back home to relax and play."

The Family then loaded into the family car and drove off. Ratchet and Clank had no idea thought that their arrival had been watched by someone who had used a robot to spy on the entire reunion. The very same someone who wasn't to happy about Ratchet still being alive, someone who he and Clank were close to meeting face to face sooner then expected.

* * *

And that's all for the First chapter, now does anyone have any ideas for the story and some good songs?


	2. Ratchet's Nightmare

**Chapter Two: Ratchet's Nightmare**

Time had passed and as night fell over the city Ratchet had already turned himself in for a nap. However, during his nap he had an incredible nightmare as he tossed and turned in bed...

* * *

_Ratchet's Nightmare_

_He was back on Fastoon and it was in the middle of a battle zone. He saw lombaxs running for their very lifes, screaming and crying as robot commandos attacked their homes and destroyed building. Ratchet couldn't belive what was happinging and reached out to try and save a lombax mother and child, but all he grabbed was empty air as the mother carried her crying child away._

_Then he saw his mother, carrying himself as a baby, running away as bombs destroyed several buildings._

_"MOM!" Ratchet cried as he tried to grab her but once again all he did was pass right through her. He could only watch in horror as rocks and stone fell on top of her as she sheilded her son._

_"No!" Ratchet cried in horror._

_He tried and tried desperately in vain to dig out his mother but his hands passed right through the rocks. It drove his heart into a very crushed state to the point he finally stopped and started to sob. As he did, he heard someone else sobbing. He looked up to see Kaden, his father, who had dug out his wife and child but neither moved. Kaden held his wife and sobbed hard as he cradled his wife dearly in his arms while tears flowed down his face._

_"Dad!" Ratchet cried as he ran towards the lombax "Dad!"_

_But Kaden didn't hear him, he couldn't even feel him as Ratchet tried to place his hands on his shoulders, which only passed right through his body. Then they heard a baby starting to cry and Kaden stopped crying long enough to open his eyes and gentley placed down his wife to see his son, wriggling in the blanket. He was alive! Laughing and crying at the same time, Kaden scooped up his son and held him tight and close as he comforted his son, mixed tears of joy and fear ran down his face as Baby Ratchet continued to fuss while the grown Ratchet smiled at the moment he remembered dearly._

_"It's ok Ratchet," Kaden whispered to his baby boy "It's ok my beautiful baby boy... nothing will hurt you now."_

_"Dad..." Ratchet whispered as he stood there, watching his father hug his baby self before Kaden ran off with Baby Ratchet in tow then vanished in a trail of flames. Ratchet tried to fallow but Fastoon suddenly vanished all around him and he turned to see a robot commando pointing it's gun at him and then the ground under him gave way and the lombax fell down a dark abyss screaming before..._

* * *

THUD!

"Ratchet! Ratchet!" the voice of Clank cried "Are you ok?"

Ratchet opened his eyes and looked around. He was in his bedroom and he was on the floor with his legs tangled in bed sheets while Clank stood beside him in consern. The lombax took several deep breathes, realizing he had a horrible nightmare about the past, and said "I... i'm fine."

"Then why is there water leaking from your eyes?" Clank asked.

Ratchet touched his cheeks and felt fresh tears. He had been crying in his sleep. He wiped off his face with his arm and said "It-it was nothing."

"Don't lie Ratchet," Clank said "I know you better."

Ratchet sighed and said "It was about the attack on Fastoon... when i was a baby... i tried to save the lombaxs... my mom... but... i couldn't touch them... and my dad..."

He untangled his legs and climbed back on the bed with Clank's help and sat on the bed, lost in his thoughts. Clank was also lost in his thoughts, but for a diffrent reason. He had tried to remember his life before he became activated in the Spankenhiemer's house all those years ago but found nothing. It was as if part of his memory banks were either eraced or removed from his brain. Which one was it he didn't know. He had had this feeling for a long time and had never told Ratchet about it... but now he couldn't hide it anymore.

"Ratchet," the robot asked "Do you remember how i came in the first place?"

"Mom and dad said you were in my Dad's bag," Ratchet said "But... other then that no. I also looked at the plans the lombaxs had made for robots and stuff... and not a single one matches you."

"But how did i end up in your father's bag if the lombaxs did not create me?" Clank asked "If the lombaxs did not create me then... who did? And how did i end up with you? I cannot remember a thing other then being activated in the family home when you were an infint."

"Don't worry pal," Ratchet said "I'm sure we'll find out sooner or later... right now i'm going back to bed and you should do the same."

"I suppose you are right." Clank said "Good night Ratchet."

"Good night Clank." Ratchet said before he fell back asleep. Unknown to the pair, something was watching them from behind their bedroom window. It was a trio of small pink faced creatures with blue eyes and black bodies and helmets sparking a faint light of eletricity so Ratchet and Clank would not notice. They were called the Zoni.

"He has no memory of us." they whispered among themselves "He does not know... We must show him his past."

With that the Zoni used their powers to open the window quietly and float into the room and over the sleeping Clank, placing a small Zoni statue right next to him before floating out the window, closing it and vanishing into thin air.


	3. Meet Darby

**Chapter Three: Meet Darby**

The next morning, Ratchet sat up from his bed and yawned as he stretched his limbs in a tired state and untangled his tail which was wrapped around his legs. Clank woke up and blinked a few times before he looked around and found the Zoni statue. He was surprised and picked it up. How did this strange statue get into the room?

"Uh Ratchet?" Clank said "Did you put this next to me while i was asleep?"

"What thing?" Ratchet asked before he noticed the statue and said "Whoa, how did that thing get there?"

"That is what i want to now." Clank said before he realized "Wait... you didn't get this for me?"

"I've never seen that thing before in my life." Ratchet said "Maybe it's a prank or something."

"Something about this..." Clank started "Something is making me think of something... have i seen this before? The question is where?"

"Ratchet!" Mrs. Spankenhimer cried from down stairs "Clank! Come down!"

"Well, put it away for later." Ratchet said "I can smell mom's waffles from right here."

Clank placed the Zoni statue in his chest compartment and went downstairs with Ratchet for Breakfast.

* * *

Later, Ratchet and Clank were in their old inventing room, the family garage tinkering away with the broken coffee machine when Ratchet paused and looked around the wall, that had a few pictures of Ratchet growing up with the Spankenhiemers. He reached into his pack and took out an old photo; it was the photo he discovered on Fastoon; the photo of Kaden, his mother and himself as a baby in their arms.

"Clank," Ratchet said "I... i've been having nightmares recently... about my past... I didn't want to tell you before but... now i think it's because i didn't want you to worry about me."

"Is it about the lombaxs?" Clank asked "I have heard you talk in your sleep."

Ratchet sighed and said "Yes, the same one over and over again, it's the one about the lombaxs being attacked by Tacyon what's his name... Sometimes i wonder what if would be like if... if he'd never attack us in the first place... that... i was actually raised by my mother and father and the other lombaxs."

"But what about the Spankenhiemers?" Clank asked "Surely you must still care for them."

"I do," Ratchet said "I'm not saying i prefer my own long lost kind to them... It's just that... i wish i knew who and what my parents were like. Especially my father Kaden."

"I am sure he would've been a great father Ratchet," Clank said "But Mr. Spankenhiemer is also a great father and he's loved and cared for you for years. He even wore that special tie you made for him on Father's day."

Ratchet chuckled and said "Yeah, then he suddenly changed color right before our eyes! You should've seen the look on his face when he looked in the mirror to see himself purple with small orange stripes across his face!" The pair laughed at the memory and laughed with the other memories that fallowed.

Suddenly they heard a little girl screaming and the pair looked outside to see a group of teenaged bullies in gang outfits teasing a little girl as they held her puppy high in the air. The girl had short red hair, blue eyes, freckles on her face, and wore a purple headband with a white shirt and a purple vest on top of it, blue pants and orange and white sneakers.

"Give him back!" the girl cried as she hopped up and down while the tall bully held her whining puppy in the air "Put Buster down! I just want my puppy back!"

"Aww, isn't that cute?" the bully leader teased "The big baby wants her puppy dog back. Well, little missy, we just wanna have fun with you. Let's play catch!" With that he tossed the poor puppy into the air as the girl ran out in the middle of the streets to catch him at the same time a car was about to strike them!

Quickly, Ratchet activated his hover boots, zoomed out into the open and, just before the girl and her puppy got hit, grabbed the girl and her puppy and rescued them. He gentley placed the girl down and turned to the bullies, who were laughing as if it was a show in a circus, with an angered look on his face, branishing his wrench as he said "What's wrong with you?! You could've killed her!"

"That little paracite wouldn't leave us alone." one of the gang kids said "She kept hanging on to us and asking us a lot of stupid questions. We told her to get lost in the first place, she should've just hit the road when he had the chance."

Angered, Ratchet ran forward but the bullies ran away with their tails between their legs screaming. They knew better then to mess with the galalxy's greatest hero. The lombax smiled when he saw the bullies run and smerked. He quickly ran back to the girl's side as she sat there at the sight of the lombax and said "Kid, you've got to be more careful. You almost got yourself seriously hurt back there. Did they hurt you or anything?"

"No," the girl said "I'm fine."

"Good to hear." Ratchet said "I'm Ratchet by the way."

"I'm Darby." Darby said "And this is my Puppy Buster."

"Cute pup." Ratchet said as he patted Buster's head while the puppy barked and Clank ran over to him saying "Ratchet! Is the child alright?"

"Yeah," Ratchet said "Darby's ok. And Darby, this is Clank, my best friend."

"Nice to meet you." Darby said she she shook the robot's hand, however it was a powerful shake and it shook the entire robot up and down like mad as Ratchet cried "Darby! Stop! You're gonna tear him appart!"

"Oh, Sorry about that." Darby said as she let go of Clank's hand while the robot tried to hold himself down "I'm really strong for someone like me... least that's what everyone else's been telling me."

"Ok," Ratchet said "Aside from that. Where are your parents? Where do you live?"

"I... i'm just wandering around." Darby said "I once lived with a nice lady named Angela before she sent me here to save me."

"Who's Angela?" Ratchet asked.

"It dosn't matter now." Darby said "I don't even remember what happened to me before i met Angela... I just don't remember a thing. And since they attacked us i've been living on my own on the streets."

"Who attacked you?" Clank asked.

"I don't remember," Darby said "It's all a blur... all i remember is Angela placing me here and saying she'd come back soon... Either way, i've got no where to go."

Ratchet felt a sudden ache in his heart as he watched the girl's blue eyes sparkle at him. He knew he couldn't just let the child leave. She was possibly no older then six and if she ran into those bullies again he'd never be able to live it down, specially if they really harm her in any way like they tried to do before.

He reached out and gentley placed his hand on Darby's shoulder and, in a smoothing voice, said "Don't go away Darby, you're not alone anymore. Because i'm going to take care of you now and i won't let anything hurt you."

Darby smiled before she hugged Ratchet and he hugged her back. Buster rubbed his face on Clank's own before the robot pet him and said "Cute doggie."

"But... what if your family dosn't like me?" Darby asked.

"Don't worry about it." Ratchet told her "My family would never cast you asside. They'd help anyone in need. And you could use a lot of help. Trust me."

Darby nodded and held the lombax's hand all the way toward's his house while the lombax kept a watchfull eye on the child. He had no idea how she got here or who left her alone but one thing was for sure, he was going to take care of her now. No matter what.


	4. A Message from A Lombax!

**Chapter Four: A Message from... A Lombax?!**

Ratchet opened the door and led Darby and Buster inside as he said "Ok, you guys just hang out while i tell mom and dad about you." Darby and Buster walked off and Clank closed the door, or rather almost when he opened it again to see the zoni after their light caught his eye. The zoni floated in front of him and said "She is not what she thinks she is."

"Uh Ratchet?" Clank asked as he turned to Ratchet for a brief moment before he turned back to the zoni, only to find that they were no where to be found.

"What was that Clank?" Ratchet called from the kitchen.

"Uh, never mind." Clank said as he closed the door.

Ratchet meanwhile looked around for his parnets only to find a note written on the fridge saying;

_Dear Ratchet,_

_While you were busy tinkering, your father and i have gone on a shopping spree with Grandma and Grandpa to restock on a few things. Jake and Daphne are in the house and we won't be gone long so keep a watchfull eye on your brother and sister while we're gone._

_Love, Mom_

"Figures." Ratchet said after he read the note "Oh well, at least Jake and Daphne will have a new playmate."

"Ratchet!" Darby cried "Lookie!"

Ratchet walked over to the front door where the stars where along with a shocked Clank and was surprised to see Darby holding Daphne and Jake by their pants while Buster stod next to the girl with a smile as his owner cried "Look at what i can do!"

"Put me down!" Daphne cried as she struggled from Darby's super grasp "I don't like being someone's dumbbell!"

"Darby! Put them down!" Ratchet cried in alarm "But do it gentley, ok?"

Darby nodded and placed Jake and Daphne down gentley before the kids ran behind Ratchet and Jake said "Where did you find her? A GYM or something?"

"I-I-I had no idea she was strong." Ratchet said "She was being picked on by some bullies and- heck, i didn't expect this!"

"I get that a lot." Darby said "I'm Sorry. I just excited to make some new friends."

"Well, next time we need some help heavylifting we'll call you." Daphne said.

As Darby and Buster ran off to play some games Clank faced his family and said "Well, that was... unusual. Children don't lift other children with ease."

"Maybe her parents stocked up on high viber or something." Ratchet said "I don't think it's something to worry about."

Suddenly there was a knock on the door but before anyone could answer it the door opened by itself from the other side thanks to a floating pink lady like robot that was behind it. Ratchet, Clank, Jake and Daphne stood there and watched as the robot's head opened up into a large screen that turned on and on the screen was a small labratory before someone came in saying "Darby? Darby are you there?"

The speaker was a shock to the group because of mainly one thing; she was a lombax! She had beautiful yellow and brown striped fur like Ratchet but had blue eyes and wore a blue helmet with a blue outfit and black gloves. "Who are you guys? And what did you do to Darby?"

"Darby?" Ratchet asked "She's playing in the living room i think."

"You mean you didn't-she's not-hey! You're a lombax!" the female lombax cried "It's been ages since i've seen another lombax! I'm Agnela Cross, you?"

"Uh... Ratchet Spankenhiemer?" Ratchet said in a puzzled tone. What a strange way to meet someone.

"I've heard of you." Angela said "But i-Oh, hang on." she ran towards the window with a gun and fired a few shots outside as she cried "Take that you metal minions!" She ran back to the screen but tripped and picked herself up saying "Sorry about that. Look, i don't have much time to talk so i'm going to have to cut this short. I'm coming to your planet to pick up Darby as soon as i'm done handling the 'unwanted guests' that are invading my labratory. Until i come for the girl i want you to promice me a few things; One, don't let Darby and Buster out of your sight no matter what. Two, make sure they don't cause a fuss with their 'Super special abilites'. And three, most inportently, keep them away from water, magnets and sand. They can't stand it. I'll explain later! Bye!"

With that the screen shut off and the robot, which Clank found himself falling head over heels for, just waved and flew away before Clank had a chance to talk to her. Ratchet, Jake and Daphne stared at each other as Daphne said "Well, that was... weird."

"Yeah, what was she talking about when she said 'Super special abilites'?" Jake asked

"And more inportent, why did she warn us not to get Darby and Buster near any water, magnets and sand?" Ratchet asked "I've heard of food alergies but nothing related to magnets or sand... unless it gets in your shorts or something. And water? How strange is that?"

"Maybe she's just kidding." Daphne said "I mean, after all, what kind of super special abilites could those two have?"

"Whee!" Suddenly they heard something zooming outside and they ran outside but stopped in time to save themselves from falling into a large hole in the front yard "What the-How did this get here?!" Ratchet cried in alarm as Buster jumped out and barked happily. Darby, who had rockets on her feet, flew over the hole and said "Sorry about the hole Buster made, he'll fix it."

"That little puppy made this dinosaur hole?!" Jake cried in shock.

"Yep," Darby said "OF course this hole's very empty. Last time he discovered some large bones and a bag of jewels.

"And how can you fly?!" Daphne asked in shock as she pointed to Darby's feet.

Darby looked at her feet and said "I don't know, i don't remember how i got these shoes in the first place."

"Get down here and fix this mess before somebody sees you!" Ratchet cried in alarm.

"Ok." Darby said before she and Darby filled the hole with the dirt the puppy had dug up until it was filled and Darby landed with ease next to her puppy and said "How's that?"

Ratchet, Clank, Jake and Daphne stood their with thier eyes flitching and realized that there was really something strange going on with Darby. If only they knew that something else was watching and he wasn't pleased with what he was seeing.


	5. Enter Empiror Tachyon

**Chapter Five: Enter Empiror Tachyon**

Ratchet knew that Darby was in need of someone to look out for her, but after whitnessing her Puppy Buster dig a hole big enough to burry a mammoth and the girl being able to fly he was sure he had his work cut out for him. But who was she anyway? Was she a super hero or something but lost her memory? And if she did lose her memory, how did she get here and why was Angela, who oviously knew her, keeping the rest of the explanation a secret?

Still, as he sat there on the couch with Clank while Darby played with toys with Jake while Buster played with Doofus with a tugging toy, he couldn't help but feel... a little odd. Something told him that Darby needed him more then he had ever realized and something was telling him that she needed someone to care for her, who loves her, and someone to be her guardian... why not him?

As Darby continued to play with Jake she smiled as she stared at Ratchet, seeing something in his eyes that sparked something in her body. She didn't remember her past but she did remember the same spark she saw while living with Angela. It was something that made her realize that Angela loves her and she also shared the same affection for the female lombax.

"So," Ratchet said out of the blue "How's Angela? Does she treat you well?"

"Yes," Darby said "I... i remember a lot of good times living with her... until..."

* * *

Flashback

Darby was in an alien garden with Buster as they played with a frisbe like toy and she giggled happily while Angela sat on the porch of her house reading a book. Darby was playing with Buster as she cried "Come on boy, fetch!"

With a toss Buster ran towards the disk until it flew passed the fence of the garden and the dog went through the open gate to get it back. Darby turned to Angela and waved at her playfully while Angela waved back happily.

Suddenly Buster let otu a frightened cry and the puppy ran back into the garden and didn't stop until he reached Angela's legs and hid behind the lombax. Angela and Darby looked back at the gate and saw an army of robots marching forward and Angela quickly grabbed Darby and said "We have to go now!"

"But Angela-" Darby cried before she was pulled into the house with Buster as one of the robots marching forward with chocked guns and weapons stepped on Buster's frisbe, breaking it into peices.

Angela quickly dragged Darby and Buster into a machine and quickly typed on the keyboard as she cried "I can't belive Tachyon found us so easily! We've got to find a more sutible hiding spot to hide you and Buster so that he'll never find you."

"Who's Tachyon?" Darby asked as she held Buster in her arms.

"Belive me, he knows you very well." Tachyon said "But an accident caused you to forget everything you had ever known... because of me. I can't explain it now. I've got to send you away so he'll never find you again." She typed on a picture of Earth and said "Yes! Perfect, nobody will be able to reconize you from the other aliens living on Earth."

"But what about you?" Darby asked worryingly.

"I'll be fine." Angela said "Just stay safe, stay out of trouble, and if Tachyon or his goons find you, please stay alive and stay safe." with that she pressed a button and Darby and Buster teleported away to Planet Earth.

* * *

Flashback ends

"And that's all Angela told me before she sent me here." Darby said "I don't know who this Tachyon is or what he wants to do with me but if he's as dangerous enough that she dosn't want him to find me... he must really be a bad guy."

Ratchet frowned and walked over to Darby, placing his hand under her chin and lifting it up as he said "Don't worry about a thing Darby, i won't let anyone harm you. I don't know what this guy wants in you but i'll make sure he never harms you."

"You mean it?" Darby asked.

"Yeah, i will." Ratchet said.

THUD!

Suddenly something massive had crashed into the backyard, shaking the whole house as the group hit the deck in shock and alarm. Ratchet, Clank, Doofus, Daphne, Jake, Darby and Buster then heard a voice call out "Come on out! We know your in there! We have you surrounded, there is no escape."

* * *

Ratchet and Clank left the house first fallowed by Doofus, Daphne, Jake, Darby and Buster as they walked into the backyard where robotic commandos stood with their weapons already locked and loaded and they parted to let their leader pass through on a giant walking throne. It was a small termite bug like alien wearing a red crown, red uniform and held a scypter in his hands, this was Percival Tachyon and he was the one reaponsable for the Lombaxs 'deaths' including the death of Kaden.

"Behold!" Tachyon cried "One of the last Lombaxs in the universe! Such a pity this one had to be raised on such a primative planet filled with empty headed creatures who can't tell simple alien languages from scribbles."

"And you're Tachyon, right?" Jake asked.

"That's Emperor Percival Tachyon to you," the alien said "Crown prince of the Cragmites, Conquerer of space and time, and, pending the oblieration of a few insubordinate species, ruler of the universe!"

"You're name's Percival?" Ratchet asked with a chuckle with Clank.

"EMPEROR!"Tachyon screamed angrily at the lombax "See the crown, see the scypter, the giant walking throne and legion of loyal robotic commandos? **EMPEROR!"**

"Ok ok, You're crabby bug-ness!" Daphen cried after she and the group had covered their ears from the Cragmite's screeching scream "What do you want? To stock up on the latest bug blinds for your men or something?"

"Kepe talking and i'll make you into another trophy for my gallery." Tachyon threatened "Or even better, i'll make you into another one of my servents who work in my intergalatic palace. But my gripe is not with the people of this prehistoric planet but with the lombax." Then he noticed Darby and Buster and said "Ah, i see you've also found one of my intergalatic experaments. A pair i should've tossed away in the garbage shoot in the first place!"

"You experamented on them?" Jake asked "How could you!?"

"Please," Tachyon said "They're not even from this planet! Just hand them over, allow us to kill the lombax and we'll be on our way."

"Never!" Jake cried as he stood in front of his big brother "You're not getting my big brother!"

"Y-Y-You're big brother?" the cragmite asked before he broke out laughing along with his commandos and Ratchet grew angered at this. How dare he laughed at his little brother's loyalty to his family!

Tachyon was so busy laughting that by the time he stopped Ratchet and company were already making a break for it and he cried "H-Hey! Get them!"

With Ratchet and Clank riding on Ratchet's hoverboots, Jake and Daphne sailing on Ratchet's hover board and Darby flying next to them with Buster in her arms they all split up in an attept to lose the robotic commandos while trying to dodge civilians, cars, buildings and more while the commandos slowed down but not for long.

Ratchet knew he had to do something as the group got together and tossed some small bombs at the commandos, making them explode as they made sharp turns and crashed into walls to avoid the explosion of the others. Then he took out Aphilion, who was still shrunk, and unshrunk her when they arrived at a vacent lot and Ratchet hopped in shouting "Quick! Hop in!"

Clank, Darby, Buster, Doofus, Daphne and Jake climbed into Aphilion and blasted into space, rescuing themselves from Tachyon's grasp as they blasted away. The cragmite snarled angrily when he discovered this and ordered his men to fallow the ship as they blasted off the planet.

"What'll we do now?" Daphne asked Ratchet as he steered the ship past Saturn "What about our parents?"

"Don't worry, i've got it covered." Ratchet said before he turned on the radio and said "Tal! Tal! Come in!"

"What is it?" Talywn asked in alarm.

"We just got attacked by some guy named Tachyon." Ratchet explained "I'll explain later, right now teleport my parents and grandparents to your space station as soon as you can. I don't want to risk them being taken away again. I've already got my siblings and heading my way now."

He pressed the light speed and the ship zoomed away at light speed into the galaxy... unaware of the further dangers they will incounter.


	6. Captain Qwark and Darby's Sisters

**Chapter Six: Captain Quark and Darby's sisters **

As Ratchet continued to pilot the ship across the nebula he couldn't help but wonder if he had done the right thing. Clank sat right next to him and behind him Jake, Daphne, Doofus, Darby and Buster were crammed in the back and they were not pleased about it.

"You could've at least got a ship that had extra seats." Daphne complained as she tried to move her stiff legs "I can't move in this cramp space and i think Jake's foot is sticking into my legs."

"You're sticking your foot into my legs." Jake complained.

"Alright you guys," Ratchet said "Don't fuss. I've just picked up a signal on another ship so we can stop right there and reload."

Aphilion floated over towards a space cloud where another large ship was coming out of it and as they got closer Ratchet noticed a large 'Q' on the side and groaned loudly "Oh no, oh no no no no no! Not him! Anyone but him! Out of all the people in the entire neither reagions of space why did it have to be him?!"

"Who?" Jake and Daphne asked

"That ship belongs to Captain Quark," Clank said "The supposed superhero."

"You mean super jerk." Ratchet said "Trust me, after all these years of living out here taught me lots of things. And number one with Quark, his ego is bigger then his own IQ, which is as small as a handful of peas. He'd do anything to get good publicity, and i mean anything. I know, i got tied into a few of his own plans and sometimes i had to save the universe from his crazy plans!"

"Like it or not, i need to refuel." Aphilion said as her gas tank beeped. Ratchet moaned and said "Alright, fine. Quark it is... but i don't like it."

* * *

After they landed inside the ship, Ratchet and Clank led their crew into the main controls where a man was standing in front of the controls. He was dressed in a green and dark blue surper hero suite with brown boots and a blue 'Q' on his chest, his name was Copernicus Leslie Qwark. As he was fiddling around with the controls Ratchet spoke up saying "Hey Qwark!"

"Ratchet?" Qwark asked as he turned around and saw our heroes "Ratchet! Clank! It's been a long time!"

"Yeah, it's been ages," Ratchet said sarcastically "I still wish i could forget."

"And who are these kids?" Qwark asked, refuring to Daphne, Jake, Darby, Doofus and Buster "You didn't tell me you were inviting a fan club over! I didn't even have time to brush up!"

"Captain Qwark," Clank said "They are not-"

"Come here you little space cadets!" Qwark exclaimed as he pulled the kids forward and shook Jake's hand saying "Welcome abourd little cadet! Let me guess, you want to learn the secrets of how a superhero like me keeps in top shape while battling bad guys and off on periling life threatinging missions. Almost everybody does, which is why i'll give you a copy of my book Body by Qwark, big seller on a few planets you know."

"Uh..." Jake said before the captain moved to Daphne and shook her hand saying "And you, no doubt about it, that you're breathless while gazing upon the heroic bravery of the awesome and more loved intergalax hero the universe has ever known. Which is me! Feel free to swoon and bask in my radiant glow missy, then afterwards you can have the honor of polishing my boots and carrying a few of my things around for a while."

"I-I-I-I-I..." Daphne said as the captain shook her while he laughed "Haha! I know, i know, i get that effect on all my lady fans." Then he moved to Darby "And you my dear can-"

Before he could finish Darby grabbed his three fingered hand in a powerful grip and shook the man up and down with such force he was hitting the celling and the floor as fast as he cried out in pain and Ratchet could only laugh at the man's misfortune before Darby finally let go and the man meekly said "Owie! That hurt!"

"I'm Darby." Darby said simpley "Nice to meet you."

"Sheesh, what do they put in those knew health shakes?" Qwark muttered to himself as he shook his aching hand while whimpering "Oh, my aching hand! Where's an ice pack when you need one?"

"Did i hurt you?" Darby asked.

"You nearly crushed my hand!" Qwark exclaimed "I thought you were going to rip my arm off!"

"Sorry." Darby said sadly.

"Captain," Clank said, getting the man's attention "These children are not from any of your fan clubs, Jake and Daphne here are Ratchet's brother and sister while Darby is an apparent orphan who escaped Tachyon somehow with the help of Angela Cross."

"That explains it." Qwark said "Nev-wait, did you just say that these two kids are... brother and sister to Ratchet?"

"Yes," Clank said "Though adoption."

"Well, that's good." Qwuark said "For a second i thought a lombaxs would've married some kind of birrare species to produse such..." He noticed the annoyed look in Clank's eyes and added "Uh, wonderful kids."

Suddenly an alarm broke out and a male computer voice cried "Dude! We've got interlopers at the docks!"

* * *

At the docks, two figures ran across the halls as the alarms blarred. They were made of a human and a lombax and both had broken into the ship to try and steal a few gadgets for their boss.

The lombax was a female who had pure white fur and red-brown stripes on her ears and tail and had hazel eyes and long wavy hair which she wore in a pony tail, a Saphire headband with an emerald shirt and a golden belt with Amethyst trousers with her feet exposed. Her name was Florance

The human was an asian woman with long black hair that was also in a pony tail but was stright and brown eyes but only her left eye had a deep scar over it from the forehead to the chin and she wore a yellow jacket with blue stripes, a purple shirt underneith, a black belt, blue jeans and purple and white sneakers. Her name was Scarlet.

Scarlet and Florance ran towards a door marked 'Secret Weapon Training room' and Scarlet punched the lock of the door, as hard as superman could've done and the doors fell down while the two ran forwards. They quickly grabbed as many weapons as they could until a voice behind them shouted "Hold it right there ladies!"

Scarlet and Florance turned to see Captain Qwark standing at the doorway with Ratchet and Clank while the kids and the dogs stood behind them as Qwark said "Put those down ladies, i don't want to have to make you-"

ZAP!

Scarlet zapped Qwark with a stun gun and the alien man fell over in pain while Ratchet and Clank prepaired to attack. However, when Darby saw them something snapped in her mind and, without thinking twice, shouted "Florance! Scarlet! It's me!"

"Darby?" Florance asked "It's our sister!"

"Sister?!" Ratchet, Clank, Jake and Daphne asked in shock while Doofus yiped in a confused way.

"Stay out of this Darby," Scarlet said "You don't belong with us anymore."

"But i-" Darby started but then Florance and Scarlet vanished when they pressed something on their wrists and left the group in a confused state while Darby just looked at them and asked "What?"


	7. Angela and the Spankenhiemers

**Chapter Seven: Angela and the Spankenhimers**

After the strange attack on the ship, known as Starship Phoenix II, the group regathered at the star ship's controls where Qwark, one he was cured of being paralized, asked Darby "You know those girls? How can you be related to those theives! Specially since one of them is a lombax!"

"They've always been my sisters." Darby said "I... i'm slowly remembering things i forgot."

"Well, what do you remember?" Ratchet asked.

"Terrible things," Darby said gloomly "Terrible things."

* * *

Flashback

In another memory of Darby's she was stripped of her clothes, although she was wearing cloth around her waist, and inside a tube with a helmet attached to her head and wires strapped onto her bare arms and legs. Buster was in some kind of tube with his back covered in wires and with another helmet on his head and a collar around his neck that was chained to the floor.

Scarlet and Florance were both strapped to eletrical chair like devices with nothing but cloth around their chests and waists along with a tube that was locked around their mouths which was attached to a machine.

_"I... I remember, me, Buster, Scarlet and Florance were all being experamented on by Tachyon. I don't know why he wanted to experament on us but it's all i can remember... in fact it's pratically what i've always remembered."_

Tachyon, who was standing near controls, flipped the switch and a powerful surge of eletricity flowed through the apparent captives. Making them scream in pain before finally the test was done and the power was shut off. The Cragmite smiled and walked away, ording one of his men "Take Florance and Scarlet, i see protential in those two."

Darby and Buster could only watch as the robot unstrapped Scarlet and Florance and carried them away while Tachyon told Darby "This one, i'm afraid, is not worthy. Have her and that little beast she's with destroyed as soon as possible."

Tachyon and his robot, still carrying Florance and Scarlet, walked off as the door closed behind them. Darby could only sigh sadly as Buster whined. What was going to become of them? They don't know.

"_Buster and_ _I would've still been prisoners to that mean cragmite if Angela didn't come to our rescue."_

Then the door opened again but it wasn't Tachyon, it was Angela, who ran towards the controls and flipped a few switches until the tube Darby and Buster were in opened and the chain and wires popped off. Darby fell to her knees and Angela ran towards her and picked her up, saying "Don't worry, i'll make sure he'll never hurt you again."

With that she ran off towards a ship with Darby and Buster and blasted off the space station and zoomed away.

Flashback ends

* * *

"And that was the last time i saw Florance and Scarlet." Darby said "That is... until now."

"I'm not surprized to here that," Qwark said "This guy's wanted poster says he's pure evil."

Ratchet felt his heart aching, how could anyone like Tachyon treat an innocent girl so badly, like a slave or something far worse? It made his heart wrench as he saw the sadness in her eyes and thought that she must feel just as horrible as her past reflection as a 'test subject'.

"Darby!" a voice cried, snapping the group out of their trance and turned to see Angela, who was running towards them happily with the rest of the Spankenhimers close behind with Talywn, Zypher and Cronk close behind and the lady lombax grabbed Darby and hugged her tight as she cried "I was so worried about you! Don't you ever scare me ever again!"

"It's good to see you again Angela." Darby said as BUster yaped about the lombax's legs while the Spankenhimers caught their breath after the long chase they had as Grandma sighed "Woo, there's my exsersize for the day."

"We brought the rest of your family here like you wanted rookie." Cronk said "And right before they Craggy-mite could snatch them."

"That's great Cronk," Ratchet said "The last thing i need is my family's life on the line again."

"Who's this lady lombax?" Mrs. Spankenhiemer said as she stroked her hands at the end of Angela's hair while the lombax lady snapped pictures at the humans.

"That's Angela Cross." Ratchet said as he lightly pushed Darby forward to meet his parents "And this is Darby and Buster. And the big lug over there grooming himself i is Captain Qwuark."

Quark, who was flossing his teeth, looked up breifly to say "Charmed, i'm sure." before resuming his flossing.

"Ok," Ratchet said "Know that that's out of the way, we're all going to have to be on the run for a while until we find a way to defeat Tachyon and prevent him from hurting anyone else ever again."

"On the run?" Mr. Spankenhiemer asked "Like wanted criminals? Sweet! I've always pretended to be one as a kid!"

"Well, now you're going to have to play the part for real." Talywn said before she handed the man a laser gun saying "Have you ever handled a blaster?"

"Well," Mr. Spankenhiemer started before he accidently pulled the triger and a blast of eletric blue wnet zapping all across the area as the group jumped, ducked, dodged and took cover before the beam struck Qwark's mirror and the captain screamed when his mirror exploded into ashes and a singing handle.

"No," Mr. Spankenhiemer said "No i don't. I had a better time with my cork loaded toy gun!"

"You owe me a new mirror buster!" Qwark snapped angrily before the man raised the gun and the alien captain yelped and said "But please, watch where you point that thing!"

"If you don't mind," Angela said as she took the gun away and gave the man a large glass vile "I'm going to need all of you to fill this glass."

"With that?" the family asked.

"Uh, Angela," Ratchet said quickly, knowing far too well what those viles were suppose to hold "I was just on my way to show my family this nice ship so maybe some other time." he grabbed his family in a chain link and whispered to them all "Just keep walking, keep walking, don't dare look back."

"But what was she going to fill that vile with?" Jake asked.

"Trust me Jake," Ratchet said "You don't want to know."


	8. Tachyon's Fortune

**Chapter Eight: Tachyon's Fortune**

Meanwhile, in a large red floating space station fashioned into a space kingdom with a large glass dome over it was a eerie, bug like castle with blood red and black desiges that could make anyone's skin crawl just as soon as look at it. This was the fortress of the evil Cragmite prince Tachyon.

As his men patroled the grounds, many tired alien races from diffrent species were towing away as servents, cleaning the castle, cooking, tending to the garden and other survant choirs as they were being bookkept by the cragmites.

Inside his throne room, Tachyon was playing cyber chess with a robot and was close to winning when the robot jumped his peice and cried "I win! I win! i-"

ZAP!

Tachyon blasted the robot to peices and some aliens brushed the metalic beast away as the prince groaned "Ugh, when are they going to make a robot that let's me win?"

Suddenly Florance and Scarlet appeared before him and he cried happily "Ahh, my fateful girls! How did you do?"

"We stole lots of stuff we can make into our own Tachyon." Scarlet said as she and Florance placed their sacks on the stairs of the throne and the cragmite laughed happily "That's my girls! I knew you girls had it in you from the start. Florance, no dout that your skills of the finest master theives and code cracking proved highly succussful."

"As well as my skills of dodging traps and making quick escapes." Florance added.

"And you," Tachyon said to Scarlet "My dear girl, still as tough as nails and as bone breakingly dangerous as ever i see."

"I had to strangle a few bots before one of them managed to blow our cover." Scarelet said with a flick of her hair.

"Splendid!" Tachyon cried happily "Splendid indeed! I knew you two had protential and i'm glad to see i was right."

"We also incountered our Sister Darby." Florance said.

"Ugh! Darby!?" Tachyon cried angrily "Don't you DARE mention that filthy name in my presences! That little screw wasn't fit to even be tolorated by space rats then to belong next to you girls. You are far more superiour then that faliure could ever be."

Florance looked a tad bit hurt by what Tachyon said but tried to keep it hidden while Scarlet just nodded in agreement.

Just then the doors burst open and a cragmite came in fallowed by two more cragmites, who were holding a prisoner by the arm on either sides of the body. This prisoner was a small little Tharpod girl with blue skin, purple hair and freckles, Aqua eyes, an orange robot head she wore as a mask, purple clothing and a backpack on her back with a large map attached. Her name was Susie (Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One)

"This prisoner has brought you a message from her kind's elders." the cragmite in front said as the others behind him dragged Susie forward before pushing her down, making her fall to her knees while she pulled the mask off over her eyes.

"Ah, my messanger." Tachyon said "So nice to here from you again. Tell me; what fortunes do your elders have for me?"

Susie got back on her feet and took out a mechanical ball and pressed a glowing blue button on the side. The lights went out as the orb hovered into the air and a digital shadowy image of Tachyon appeared standing on his throne appeared along with a deep voice that said "The Crown prince of the Cragmites shall make his empiror supiriour, his kind will rule and his control will be unstoppable."

Tachyon smiled at this fortune while his meen cheered but the cheers were cut off when the image changed into a shadowy image of Ratchet placing a strange hat on his head and opening a portal where lombaxs started to jump out of and the deep voice continued "However, we see that if Ratchet finds a way to bring back the Lombaxs then your reign of evil and terror will be stopped and you will be defeated by the one lombax you never had the chance to kill."

The ball fell down as the lights came back on and the entire room was quiet as Susie caught the ball and Tachyon cried "**WHAAAAATTT?!"**

"Maybe they got it wrong, your greatness." One of the Cragmites suggested "You know how the weather man gets things wrong."

"Fortune telling is not like predecting the weather you idoit!" Tachyon cried "These Fortune telling elders we abducted are never wrong and if they say the lombaxs will return we must do everything, EVERYTHING to make sure that the lombaxs never return again! The Lombaxs must never return! NEVER!"

"Perhapes Ratchet's stupid your highness," Another cragmite suggested "Perhaps he won't find the Dimentionator."

"Perhapes he will!" Tachyon cried "I don't care what it takes! I want that lombax dead! DEAD! I want his body to roit in space and let his corpse decompress in the dark abyss of space! I want all men on full alert! Double, no Triple everything! Ratchet must not bring back the Lombaxs!"

Unknown to them as their ruler shouted commands Susie had snuck away and ran towards a parked ship someone left unguarded and quickly took the controls. It was hard for her since she was small and all but with her Galatic scout skills of inprovising and big idea thinking she managed to pilot the ship off the platform and she sailed across the skies but quickly put the ship on auto-pilot to check on her map.

She sat down, grabbed the map attached to her backpack and opened it. It was a picture of a large helmet like device and some intructions written in lombax with a few planet names written on it like a treasure map with one of them circled in red. Tachyon didn't know it but Susie had the map that had the very location of the Dimensionator; the only thing that could be used to travel across diffrent universes and Susie knew that with this she could bring back the one race that could defeat the cragmites with ease just like they had done before, the lombaxs.

There was also another reason she escaped; she wanted to be free. She had lost her parents shortley before she was kidnapped and she had tried to escape ever since. Now she's finally on her way to find the hat and return the lombaxs to avenge her parents and most of her kind who were still prisoners on the Cragmite's empire... there was just one problem; she had no idea how to read the map!


	9. The Spankenhiemers Transformation

**Chapter Nine: The Spankenhimers Transformation**

Back on the Starship, everyone was already in bed sleeping the night away... or rather sleeping in space and the Spenkenhiemers had no idea if they were sleeping though the afternoon or the night.

Eventually none of the Spankenhimers could sleep and they decided to explore the ship some more. They stuck together as they made there way down a hallway and looked around the ship that was filled with either weapons, photos of heroes or villains or just plain wall paper. They didn't know it but someone else was fallowing them through the ventalation shaft and was watching them as they made their way across the ship until they came across a large window and watched the stars in space shine.

Jake, Daphne, Mr and Mrs. Spankenhiemer, Grandma and Grandpa were in awe at the beauty of the space ship but they failed to notice a shadowy figure slowly and carefully crawling out of the shaft and pointing a strange weapon right at them locked at their bodies as the figure prepaired to pull the trigger.

Doofus lifted his ear and turned to see the figure, before he charged at the figure with a threatening series of bark.

"Doofus?" Jake asked "What are-

ZAP!

The ship was filled with the screams of the family, startling Ratchet, Clank, Talywn, Angela, Darby, Buster, Cronk, Zepher and Qwark awake as they jumped out of their beds in shock and alarm. They fallowed the sound of Doofus's worrying barking and arrived to see the Spankenhimers, all smoking lightly and dazed while Doofus, with something in his teeth, gentley nudged Jake's cheek with his nose.

"What happened?" Clank asked as Ratchet quickly ran to his family's side and gentley patted Jake's face until the boy woke up, making Ratchet smile with relief as he said "Jake... what happened?"

"She... i... Florance... gun..." Jake managed to say before he passed out again.

"What's this?" Talywn asked as she pulled the cloth out of Doofus's teeth and said "Doofus must've managed to rip this off of Florance before she escaped."

"What about my family?" Ratchet asked in consern "We can't just leave them like this. What if she'd done something terrible to them?"

"Don't worry, they don't look badly singed to me," Qwark said "I'd give it about an hour or two and everything will be ok."

Ratchet gave the captain a serious death glare that gave the man goosebumps and gentley pulled Jake close for a hug. Jake managed to open his eyes again but only for a breif moment. Just long enough to see the worryed look in Ratchet's face before everything went black...

* * *

Hours later, after the Spankenhiemers were placed back in bed, Jake was the first to wake up. He yawned and stretched his body however, his body was feeling strange. Why did he feel so strange?

As he rubbed his head he also brushed agenst his ears... then he realized his ears were feeling... diffrent. He stroked his fingers across the tips of his ears, reaching halfway past his head, furry and were pointy. The only ears like that were the lombaxs ears Ratchet had...

He jumped out of bed and felt something brush agenst his legs. He grabbed it and pulled it, and felt a tug of something _attached _to his rear. Then he felt it, a hairy brush of a furry tail... in fact, the more he felt himself, the more fur he discovered... but it couldn't be, he had to be dreaming!

He quickly ran towards the door where the light switch was and flipped it... and got a very shocking surprise.

**"AAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!"**

Jake, fallowed by the screams of the rest of his family, alerted Ratchet and Clank and they were the first to rush in at the ready with weapons. When they burst into the room Ratchet broke the door down and aimed his gun around shouting "Alright, nobody move! Where they go? What that they look like?"

When they turned to see the Spankenhimers Ratchet and Clank's jaws dropped and Ratchet's gun slipped down from his fingers and landed on the floor. What he saw was a family of lombaxs! But they weren't jusy lombaxs, from the human clothes they were wearing they were the Spankenhimers!

Jake, Mr. Spankenhimer and Grandpa all had yellow fur and brown stripes while Daphne, Mrs. Spankenhimer and Grandma had white fur with brown stripes. Due to their new lombax size most of their clothing were slipping off their bodies in a shaggy way and Jake, Mr. Spankenhiemer and Grandpa were in awe at their tails as they wagged this way and that.

Ratchet was so shocked by this he toppled over and fainted.

* * *

When Ratchet started to wake up the first thing he saw was Clank who said "Ratchet, are you all right?"

"I-I had a messed up dream." Ratchet said as he sat up "I just thought i saw my family, but they had been turned into lombaxs like-"

His voice trailed off when he saw his family again, being examined by Angela and Talywn while Qwark, Darby, Buster, Doofus, Zephper and Cronk stood by. Ratchet took one look at his newly transformed family... then passed out again.

"How is such a thing possible?" Talywn asked as she lightly pulled Mr. Spankenhiemer's Tail "How could anyone manage to scrabble the DNA of other aliens and change them into a whole nother species?"

"I don't know," Daphne said "But i'm so not looking forward to spending the rest of my life like this. How will i ever get a date for the Prom?!"

"That's the least of our problems." Jake said "Remember? We're being hunted down by a bug king who's trying to kill Ratchet. And i'm guessing that now we're lombaxs he'll try to kill us too!"

"Bug king?" Qwark asked "I thouhgt you guys were being hunted by a crigmite!"

"Is he really that stupid?" Daphne asked Talywn.

Ratchet sat up again and rubbed his head before he opened his eyes to see his family and groaned "Oh no! It's not a dream!"

"So now you really wake up?" Daphne asked "For a moment i thought you were going to faint again."

"Well, just look at you!" Ratchet cried "You look just like-"

"Help!" a voice cried over the radio, interupting the conversation as the computer screen nearby swtiched on to reveal Susie who looked very frightend as she cried "Help! S.O.S.! Mayday! Help! I'm going down! I'm going down!"

"Is that a little girl?" Zephyr asked "What in blazes is she doing behind the wheel of a rocket?!"

"She's in trouble!" Ratchet cried as he quickly ran towards the computer but before he could contact the girl the screen went blank and he groaned "Oh no! We lost the signal! I can't track her now, we don't have any idea where she could have landed!"

Unknown to the group Darby's Eyes turned blue with a beeping sound that only lasted a few sdeconds before she shook her head, turing her eyes back to normal and she exclaimed "I know where the ship landed! It's planet Hoven and her ship isn't damaged too much but it's close to blowing up if we don't rescue her."

"Aww, isn't that cute?" Qwark asked "Little Darby thinks she knows where the rocket landed. Is that just the-" his voice trailed off when both Darby and Buster's eyes glowed a bright shade of green and he worryingly asked "Uh, i think you've got something in your eyes."

Before anyone knew it Darby and Buster vanished and then the group vanished as well. Their destination; planet Hoven.

* * *

Any ideas what should happen next along with a few songs? I'm getting desperate with the songs.


	10. What Darby and Buster really are

**Chapter Ten: What Darby and Buster really are**

On planet Hoven the startled group reappeared on the snow covered planet and they did not like the freezing cold on bit.

"Holy cow!" Mr. Spankenhiemer cried "How did we end up here!?"

"Just get me off this rock!" Cronk cried "My coils are already starting to freeze!"

"Over here!" Darby cried, startling everyone that she and Buster were already halfway towards a broken ship on top of a snow mountain which was smoking and with it's parts scattered around the crash sight "Hurry up!"

"D-D-Darby!" Ratchet cried in alarm dispite the fact his bodyw as freezing "Don't do anything! We'll be right there!"

But Darby didn't wait, she and Buster raced towards the ship as the two stood near the wreck. Darby pressed her hand aginst the ship's wrecked door and opened it by force, ripping it off it's hinges as she tossed the door away and entered the ship.

Buster and Darby walked down the hall with their eyes glowing blue again, this time they were sincing life forces like a heart beat and they got a faint yet living signal coming from the controls. They used the signal to track it down and emerged in the control room where Suzie, lying uncoincious and face flat on the floor, was along with the cause of the smoke, the burning controls.

The group was still trecking through the snow as they shivered and complained, mostly the Spankenhiemers since their clothes were pratically kept getting tangled in their bodies.

"Ugh, why did i have to wear a long sleeved shirt today?" Daphne asked as she tried to pull her arms out of her sleeves.

"Darn pants!" Grandpa cried as he pulled his trousers up but ended up losing them again every time they fell down.

"Ack, i hate this tail!" Jake cried as his tail flicked across his back and his legs tripped over it time to time.

"My ears are in my eyes!" Mrs. Spankenhiemer cried as she tried to pull her flapping ears from flapping into her eyes.

"You guys are totally going to need new wardrobe when we get back to the ship!" Talywn cried as she helped Grandma with her slipping clothes.

"Are we there yet?" Qwark asked after his head got covered in snow "I can't see a thing with this snow on my face."

Suddenly the ship started to rock and it's burning thrusters exploded, which sent the entire ship tumbling down the steep snowy hill before it tilted over a steep ravine and then fell over as the group watched in horror as they heard the ship fall before it crashed into the rocks below. They were about to panic when suddenly a figure zoomed out of the revine unharmed and hovered right over the steep drop. It was Darby and she was holding Suzie in her arms while Buster hung on to her head.

Ratchet sighed in deep relief as Darby flew over towards him and while Talywn scooped up Suzie Ratchet pulled Darby in a tight hug and said "Don't you ever, ever do that to me again!"

"I know what i was doing..." Darby said as Ratchet continued to hug her "Like... i was made to do this... and..." then her eyes glowed again and everyone vanished.

* * *

Everyone reappeared on the Phoenix and they all sighed happily thanks to the A/C of the ship and Talywn, who was still holding the passed out Suzie, said "Ok, now that we've somehow got back here i'm going to tend to this girl while the rest of you... figure out what happened."

"And while your at it, find a decent thrift store." Grandma said "My clothes are pratically dropping faster then I'm picking them up!"

"How can this day get any more crazy?" Jake asked "We get turned into Lombaxs, we meet a girl who can do weird stuff and..."

"Hey kid," Qwark said as he held his melting snowball he got from his head "Take this!"

"NO!" Angela cried as the man tossed the snowball directly at Darby and with a whap it struck her head. Once it did, something strange happened. Sparks suddenly flew from her face, steam seeped from her ears and her eyes glitched back and forth from regular eyes to glowing green, blue and red eyes as her voice went up and down "Danger! Ganger! Manger! D-D-D-Dangerrrrr..."

With that Darby fell over and Buster whimpered as her head suddenly popped off and landed in Clank's arms. Everyone gasped in shock and Qwark tilted over and fainted.

"Angela," Clank said, realizing the end of Darby's head had wires and sparking cords instead of bone and flesh like the headless body of Darby while Buster stood next to Angela while she lombax girl pressed something on the dog which opened up like a box with extra wires and cords inside while Angela sighed as she took Darby's head and turned it back on.

Darby snapped awake and said "Hi! What's-" she screamed when she saw herself in the computer screen in Angela's head without a body and she shouted "What am i?!"

"You..." Angela said before she took a deep breath and said "You're a robot Darby, you're a Robot. Buster's A robot too."

"You mean, you guys are robots?" Daphne asked "But how come they look like... they sound like..."

"They're very special robots," Angela said as Qwark woke up thanks to Cronk and Zephyr fanning him "You see, Tachyon got an idea from a gullible inventer who wanted to bring back the lombaxs... She gave the cragmite plans for robots with realistic things like emotions, brain power and every day life skills so well that they could blend in so well with other aliens in a community so easily absolutely no one would be able to tell if they were made of metal or flesh."

"I see," Clank said as Angela reattached Darby's head to her body while closing the compartment on Buster's back before the puppy licked his owner while Angela continued her story "So far, only four were made. One was created from Lombax DNA from one of the greatest lombax minds of all time as a reminder of his past and how much he loved to destroy the lombaxs. The rest were of earth. The tallest was proggramed to look like a human woman to act like a burgler and theif as well as someone to subdue men into submission. The smallest was programed into a dog with tracking, smelling and other canine skills a billion times more affective then an earth dog... and then there's Darby."

"Why... why did Tachyon create a robot that looks just like a little girl?" Ratchet asked.

"The element of surprise." Angela answered "You see, what you and everyone else sees is an innocent little harmless human child. But when her weapons are activated..." she pressed something behind Darbys ear and Darby's arms changed into rocket missiles and her legs transformed into rockets while her eyes shined red and she cried "I can see everyone's bones! And... i'm seeing strips of memory in their brains!"

"How is this possible?" Mrs. Spankenhiemer cried in amazement "Whoever did this must've been a real genuis!"

"Thank you," Angela said "And... well, to tell the truth Tachyon didn't make this by himself."

"You mean he had help?" Ratchet asked "Who?"

"Well... you're looking at her." Angela said "I helped him out." Everyone gasped in shock as Angela quickly added "But it was only because he lied to me! He promised me a way to bring back the lombaxs in return i'd create him some artificial robots that could take anyone by surprise. And what better way to surprise anyone.. then with something that dosn't look like a robot and something that looks more like... a living being."

"Well, that would explain a few things," Ratchet said "Like the rockets in her feet, being able to lift heavy objects, the warning to keep them away from water and stuff."

"Does that mean i'm not likeable anymore?" Darby asked worryingly

"Don't be silly," Ratchet said as he walked over to her "Sure you're a robot, but that dosn't change a thing. I grew up with Clank after all so i'm pratically normal around robots like him. You won't be any different. You're still a little girl after all, and every little girl deserves a family." Darby smiled and hugged him, carefull not to crush him as Ratchet hugged her back.

"Speaking of Little girls," Angela said "I wonder how Talywn is taking care of our little 'pilot'?"


	11. Susie's Map to the Dimentionator

**Chapter Twelve: Susie's Map to the Dimensionator**

Susie lay in the bed in a deep sleep while Talywn removed her mask from her head to reveal the rest of her purple hair to place a wet rag on her head. Then the little girl started to stir and she woke up slowly, her vision was groggliy and fuzzy but eventually her gaze returned to normal and the first thing she saw was Talywn and when she sat up she saw Zephyr, Cronk, Clank, Qwark, Darby, Buster, Ratchet and the Spankenhiemers looking at her.

"Hey kid," Ratchet said "How'd you sleep?"

"Ratchet!" Susie cried happily as she hopped off the bed and ran towards Ratchet, giving him a gright big hug as she looked at the Spankenhiemers "And more lombaxs! I knew i'd find more! I must be in the lombax dimension!"

"Whoa, Whoah, easy kid." Ratchet said "You must've hit your head harder then i thought. And what do you mean by Lombax dimention?"

Susie's expression changed and she asked "You mean... i'm not... oh, i thought i had..."

"Kid," Ratchet said sternly yet gently as he lightly pushed Susie off him "What are you talking about and what were you doing out there in space on that rocket?"

"My name's Susie. I was escaping Tachyon," Susie explained "I had to, he kidnapped me to be one of his servents and forced us to work in his palace. Yet, i managed to escape with a very inportent map that will take him down."

"How inportent is this map?" Cronk asked "What would a craggy-mite want with a map made by a kid?"

"I didn't make it." Susie said as she took out the map from the chair Talywn had placed it on with her backpack and opened it up to show the group the map's contence and pointed to the Dimensionator "Another prisoner gave this to me when he tried to escape but was blasted to peices. It's what Tachyon's been looking for; the Dimentionator. The lombaxs used this to travel to another dimention when he attacked them and now i have to find it and use it to bring back the lombaxs; they are the only race that can defeat the cragmites and free everyone from his evil."

"Do you know what this means?" Talywn asked as she took the map from Susie "It means that the Lombax Secret will finally be found! My father told me stories about it but now i have the chance to finally find what my father's been looking for! Quick! Plan the next course to-"

"Hold it!" Daphne shouted "Have you forgotten one thing? We're slipping out of our clothes here! We need new ones! Pronto!"

"Yeah," Jake said as he held his pants "I can't spend another moment picking up my pants every time they fall!" His pants fell again and Susie giggled at the sight before Zephyr covered her eyes and said "Don't look you naughty whipper snapper."

"Right," Talywn said "First, to the nearest thrift store."

* * *

Ratchet took the crew to Veldin where he had everyone stay in his garage and he brought some new lombax clothes for his newly transformed family. Soon he returned to the garage with the clothes and handed them to his family members one by one "Alright, put these on. I can't have my family running around in nothing but their old oversized clothes like clowns."

The Spankenhiemers walked into the bathroom one by one to dress up and each one was wearing diffrent clothes; Daphne wore a purple top with large white stripes across it, a pink skirt that reached her knees and white boots.

Jake wore a gray shirt with a dark blue picture of a sun on his chest, green pants and golden like boots.

Grandpa wore a black top with beige straps, light green pants and brown shoes.

Grandma wore a gray top with a brown sash around her neck, a light gray skirt and red boots.

Mrs. Spankenhiemer wore a brown top with green stars on it, blue pants and white boots.

And Mr. Spankenhiemer wore a blue and gray top with a light brown jacket, black pants and orange boots.

"So... how are they?" Ratchet asked his family as they took turns looking at each other.

"Not bad," Mr. Spankenhiemer said "Not bad at all. We should go shopping in galatic stores some times... once this whole mess is over."

"How come only Jake, Dad and Grandpa have tails and we don't?" Daphne asked as she pointed to Jake's tail.

"Female lombaxs don't have tails," Clank explained "Only male lombaxs do. Now, everybody must go back to the ship to plan our next move."

"Which is now." Talywn exclaimed as she held up the map with Susie next to her "According to the map, the dimentionator was hidden by some trusted allies of the lombaxs after they went into another dimention and they hid it behind a large gate secured with five diffrent keys scattered across five diffrent planets. And get this, one of the keys just happens to be here on Veldin!"

"Well, that was easy!" Grandpa exclaimed happily.

"The bad news is that each key is guarded heavily by monsters and or robots that patrol seculted places day in and day out without rest and do not tolorate anyone but lombaxs tresspassing." Talywn finished "And, Ratchet, since you and yourr family are lombaxs, all you have to do is walk right into the area and they get the key easily with no problems... provided you don't pose as a thret."

"Oh isn't that just hunky dory?" Daphne asked sarcastically "A dangerous mission in space, high risks of death and destruction, A DNA transformation into another alien species, a mad psycotic alien with his own royal army hunting us down like we're chriminals. Yeah, you think that having an alien in the family has it's good and bad perks."


	12. We missed you Ratchet

**Chapter Thirteen: We missed you Ratchet**

The group spent all day on Veldin looking for any trace of evidince that one of the keys was somewhere on the planet but found nothing. That very night everyone bundled in for the night at the ship. However, Ratchet sproused up his garage and had his family sleep there for the night... almost everyone.

Ratchet was up late, trying to figure out the map's location of the first key when he heard someone shifting behind the door.

"I know your there," Ratchet said "I don't fail to reconize you even when i don't see you."

Jake, wearing blue pajamas and holding a pillow in his arm, and Daphne, wearing a pink nightgown, emerged from the door with a tired yet sadden look on each of thier faces. Ratchet turned to see the kids and just one look in their eyes made his heart swell up, bringing back treasured memories with it.

"I... we just can't sleep." Jake confessed "We... we've hardly ever seen you in years and the one chance we had to spend it together was ruined by an evil alien."

"Ah, don't worry about it Jake," Ratchet said "We've always have other times."

"But... What if there won't be a next time." Jake asked fearfully "Ever since you blasted away from earth you never came back, you never wote, you never sent us everything... and... i sometimes get scared that... you've forgotten all about us... and me... why don't you spend more time with us? Is it because of me?"

"Oh Jake," Ratchet said with a sigh "It's not your fault. I just got super busy, what with being a galatic hero, mechanic and lots of other stuff at the same time. It felt inpossible to find any time to myself then anything else. It's not because of you; it could never be. I still love you and our family. I just wish i had more time to spend it with you more offen like before... i've really missed you."

Jake and Daphne rushed up to him and hugged their big brother tight as tears flowed from their face "I missed you too." Jake cried through his tears "I've missed you so very much... you just have no idea how much Daphne and i missed you."

* * *

_Flashback_

We cut to when Jake was in kendergarden walking around with Daphne, who was still a small child, reading books as she walked down a path reading _Green eggs and ham _as other kids played hopscotch or jumprope as Jake's voice sang

Daphne and Jake then bumped into someone and looked up to see Ratchet, who was still a child back then, smiling at his younger siblings as they smiled back and tackled him in a tight squeeze of a hug as the lombax hugged him back while his tail playfully brushed aginst Jake's face, making him sneeze as they giggled

Daphne, Clank and Ratchet flew a yellow and brown kite in the park and it nearly crashed into a tree but Ratchet tugged the string and made it go the other way.

Jake, when he was a little older, was trying to reach his ball on top of the closet shelf and nearly fell but Ratchet saved him by catching him and he helped his little brother retrive his toy with ease.

Then came the day Ratchet an Clank left earth to live on Veldin. With a final good bye hug Ratchet hopped into Talywn's ship and blasted off into space while the Spankenhiemer's waved good bye, with Jake and Daphne's eyes shedding buckets of tears at thier big brother's departure.

* * *

The flashback ends and we see Daphne and Jake still trying while hugging Ratchet and the lombax felt as if leaving the planet was a big mistake and gently wiped their tears away saying "There there, it's ok. We're together now. And remember, no matter what happens you will always be my little brother and sister, no matter what."

"And... and will we be able to hang out together again sometimes?" Jake asked with a sniffle.

"I promise." Ratchet said "As great as living on Veldin with Clank is; it'll never replace the live i had growing up with the greatest brother and sister in the universe. We can play video games, pull pranks, take naps, like the good old days, and i promise that i'll spend more time visiting my home planet when this mess is all over."

As the lombax continued to hug his siblings his thoughts drifted to another possibility, one that was growing on him little by little with worry. Suppose they managed to bring back the lombaxs, how will they react to the fact he had been rasied on Earth? What will they think when they discover that the Spankenhiemers were not really lombaxs but humans... Would they like them... or not?

"Ratchet?" Daphne asked "Are you ok?"

"Yeah," Ratchet said, shaking the feeling off "I'm ok, just lost in thought. But it's nothing." He let go of his siblings and said "You two should probably go to bed, mom would have a cow if she found out i kept you awake all night."

"Ok." Jake and Daphne said as they left the room. Ratchet smiled and yawned. He reached out for the lamp, turned it off and walked towards his bed, plopping into it as he snored away.


	13. The First Key

**Chapter Fourteen: The First key**

The next day, Ratchet woke up with a yawn and rubbed his eyes. He then slowly started to rise from his bed and realized a note was placed on the edge of his bed. He grapped it and looked at it;

_Dear Ratchet,_

_So sorry to leave so soon without saying good bye but i knew it would be better if we split up. Tachyon will have a hard time trying to find two seperate groups after the same thing but we must meet in secret or everything will be lost. Talywn, Susie and Qwark will stay with you and your family while Cronk and Zyphyr scot around for any sign of Tachyon or his goons. I must go myself to keep watch on anything peculiar but i've left the map with you since i know you and Clank will keep it safe. I have also found the location of the first key and i will keep you posted on more locations of the keys in the future. Of course, this also means i had to leave Darby and she didn't take it too well. Ratchet, for my sake, please take very good care of her, she may be a robot but she has a heart and soul and i love her dearly._

_Angela_

Ratchet knew that the first thing he had to do was check up on Darby. He jumped out of bed, got dressed quickly and looked around for Darby, only she wasn't anywhere to be found. He started to worry as he approuched the sealed garage doors and was about to open them to go out when he heard sniffling behind a crate.

He looked behind it and saw Darby, huddling aginst the courner sobbing. He felt relief to see her but also consern that she was crying in the first place. "Darby?" he asked, getting her attention "Are you alright?"

"No." Darby said "Angela... Angela left me... how could she leave me? I thought she loved me."

"Oh Darby, she does love you." Ratchet said as he sat beside her while wrapping an arm around her "She loves you very much. She left because she couldn't risk putting you in danger. She left you in my care and i promise i'll take care of you no matter what. Just don't do anything stupid that could blast your head of again."

"Ok." Darby said as she started to cheer up.

"Hey, where's Buster?" Ratchet asked before Doofus and Buster, both wearing green masks and capes, dashing towards them and Qwark chased after them shouting "Come back here! I'm not done with the offical pet line of Q-Force costumes yet!"

"Oh brother." Ratchet sighed as he shook his head "There he goes again."

* * *

Later, the group arrived in front of an old statue of a robot posing in a silly way, with one hand to his hips and the other pointing to the sky in the middle of no where. Ratchet looked at the note Angela had left them and said "Ok, if Angela's right, then the key we're looking for is in that old statue."

"Well, then all we have to do is walk in and the walk right out." Qwark said as he marched forward.

"Uh, remember the robot guards and stuff?" Talywn asked "What if the statue is bobby trapped?"

"Please," Qwark said casually "They haven't made a trap or a booby trap strong enought to keep Captain Q-Waaahhh!" He screamed because he had stepped into a rope and was now dangling from the air like a ham and he cried "Gaaahh! Get me down from here!"

But before anyone could do anything the age old rope broke and the man fell down on his head and, as stars spun around his head, he muttered "Cupcake anyone?" before passing out cold.

"Oh dear." Clank sighed.

"So much for that." Ratchet said "Alright, let's keep going, and this time keep all eyes open on any traps."

* * *

The group went inside the statue and looked around to see nothing but what appeared to be stone, stone and more stone and hanging high atop a hook was a golden key in the shape of a comet.

"Well, that was easy." Ratchet said "So much for the guards."

However, when he stepped forward the stone with his foot on it went down and an alarm sounded out before suddenly the stone piles around them rose upwards, revealing metalic parts under the stone and they looked like ugly trolls with very nasty attitues!"

"Now what?!" Mr. Spankimheimer cried in alarm as the stone robots closed in "We're surrounded!"

Ratchet tried to whack the robots with his wrench while Talyen tried to blast them but all it did was peel of a layer of stone dust "Our weapons aren't working!" Talywn cried "They must be made out of some kind of special eletrical and stone force preventing anyone from damaging them!"

"So then we're all going to die then?!" Daphne cried.

"Yeah, pretty much."

"So much for lombaxs not getting harmed!" Grandpa cried as he hugged Grandma tight.

Doofus then started to howl when a robot reached out for him and the howl made the robots short curcit and Ratchet exclaimed "Ha! They didn't make these robots dog proof! Howl Doofus, Howl like you mean it!"

"Howl to Buster." Darby told Buster.

Buster started to howl and so did Doofus and within moments the stone robots fizzed, buzzed, and finally broke appart at the sounds of the howls. Darby hugged Doofus and Buster and said "Good boys!"

"Now all we have to do is get the key." Talywn said "I'll get it."

Talywn used her own rocket boots to fly upwards and scoop up the key like a flash before returning to the group saying "That wasn't so bad."

Suddenly the stone around them started to crumble and Jake cried "Oh no! This is just like what happens in Trasure hunting movies like Indiana Jones! If we don't get out of here it won't end well!"

"Run!" Ratchet cried as he and his group ran for their lives.

* * *

They managed to escape the statue thought it's right foot and watched from a hill as the statue crumble, topple over and fell down. As the dust cleared they saw that there was nothing left of the statue but rubble and blocks and dust.

Qwark, who had woken up, emerged from a tree and exclaimed "You know, that statue was so old fasioned, i'm glad my golden statue is a thousand times more better then that put together old pile of pebbles."

"And you're still a block head." Ratchet said with an annoyed tone.

"Well, we still have the key." Talywn said as she held the key in her hand "We better tell Angela about this and wait for her reasponce."


	14. Flora Helps Out

**Chapter Fithteen: Flora Helps Out**

Inside Angela's ship, the lady lombax was typing feuriously on her keyboard in front of the computer, answering to the message Talywn typed her about retriving the first key.

"Ok, 'Go to Planet Umbris, Find the Smuggler. Make deal with him to retrive a Technomite Hovercar. Trust me, you will need it. And bring your shrink ray too." Angela said as she typed down her message before she pressed send.

Outside the ship, with her own rocket feet, Florance was hovering outside and said to herself "Umbris." before she vanished from sight.

* * *

Ratchet and his crew arrived at Umbris and they all looked around the dark brown planet as Qwark pointed out a few things the planet had.

"See? Over there's my headquarters." Qwark said as he pointed to the large metal estate "I could give you all the grand tour to the entire place. I can even show you my Snagglebeast!"

"You mean try and feed them to the snagglebeast like what you did to me and Clank?" Ratchet asked.

"You're still mad about that?" Qwark asked "Sheesh, when you hold a grudge, you can really hold a grudge! And that only happened a few years ago!"

"You tried to feed our brother to a monster?" Jake asked in shock.

"Long story," Qwark said "Let's just leave it at that. And i had to apologize up and down for five months before he would finally speak to me again... althought it would be nice to see if he can survive this time."

Offended, Mrs. Spankenhiemer punched the captain right where the sun don't shine and he gasped in pain while Ratchet burst out laughing with Clank while the man fell to his knees and groaned "Ooh, right... in the cosmos." he moaned as he fell over and Ratchet fell over laughing as he cried "Ahahahahaha! N-N-Nice going Mom! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Suddenly they heard gun explosions and they yelped when a close blast nearly struck them but ended up only hitting the ground a few miles to the left of them. Then, from the rubble, came Florance holding a powerful looking gun and she wasn't alone. A blue alien wearing black cowboy like clothes with a red parriot on his shoulders came out of the dust and he turned to Florance saying "Hoo-wee, that sure was some fine shootin'!"

"You!" Daphne cried as she pointed to Florance "You did this to me! You've ruined my life!"

"I'll handle this." The lombax told the alien as she rushed up to them and stopped when she was in front of them. She took one look at the Spankenhiemers and said "Well, at least my machine works."

"Why would you do this to us?" Jake asked.

"I had too," Florance said "Just let me explain. I'm on your side."

"Strange way to prove your on our side." Ratchet said, mentioning to his family "But still, why did you change my family into lombaxs?"

"For confusion." Florance explained "I figured that if there was more lombaxs running around then Tachyon will run his men to the ground trying to kill all of them while me, you and Angela retrive the Dimentionator. So far, Tachyon dosn't now but once he does-"

"Wait a minute," Ratchet said, interupting the female lombax "You're putting my family in mortal danger just so we'd retrive the machine? Are you crazy!?"

"No," Florance said "Everytime Tachyon and his men come to close they will shift back into humans and return to lombax form when he is away. I mutated their DNA in order to do it but it's worth it. That way, Tachyon will be on a wild lombax hunt and the Spankenhimers will be the masters of disguise... in a very uniqe way."

"I'm still going to demand you change me back to normal." Daphne huffed as she crossed her arms.

"Just trust me, you won't be harmed." Florance said "Oh, and another thing, i no longer go by Florance... I'm Flora now."

"Nice to meet you." Ratchet said akwardly "Again... so... the Smuggler has a hovercar we can use, least that's what Angela told us."

"Yes," Flora said "And i already have the required payment he needs. Leviathan Soals."

"Levia-what?" Ratchet asked.

* * *

Later, after making the deal with the smuggler, Flora held up a small hover cart in her hand and said "Here we are. Now we can drive this thing all across the Technomite fortress and retrive the key with ease."

"Uh, problem." Mr. Spankenhiemer said as the group gathered around in confusion "This thing is too small to even place a doll inside."

"Ha, but don't forget." Flora said "You've got a shrink ray, have you not?"

"Of course!" Talywn exclaimed "Brilliant!" She took out her shrink ray and said "Hang on tight everybody, getting shrunk for the first time makes first timers woozy and dizzy."

She then pointed to the group one by one and shrunk them as they all boarded the hovercar and drove off.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tachyon was leading his troops in the palace feilds when a robot messanger came along shouting "Your majesty! Your majesty!"

"What is it?" Tachyon asked in annoyance "Can't you see i'm busy leading my army?!"

"I know your cragmite greatness," the robot said "But-But i've brought most disturbing news. Our spies have reported that, that somehow, we have discovered six lombaxs joining Ratchet's side!"

"Six Lombaxs?" Tachton asked in shock "SIX LOMBAXS?! There were suppose to be only two! Now there's eight?!"

"We don't know how-"

"I don't care how those lombaxs got here!" Tachyon bellowed "I wand them all destroyed, blasted to smitherines, burn to chrisps! Kill them all! Just kill them at the first chance you get!"

"Yes sir." the robot said before he trotted off to tell the spies and assasians their empiror's orders.

Tachyon snarled and muttered to himself "I don't know how you did it lombax, but one thing is for sure. I'm going to make you pay for ever bringing them in the first place."


	15. The World of the Technomites

**Chapter Fithteen: The World of the Technomites**

Dispite being super small the mini group sailed across the landscape at an avrage speed of a car and Flora pointed to a crack in a wall saying "There, there is the entrance to the Technomite fortress."

"Alright everybody," Qwark said as they neared the hole "From what i know about Technomites they are small insecets that travel in a swarm, kill everything they tpuch within seconds and-"

"Not Tetramites, you dope," Flora snapped at the captain "Technomites! They are the creators of technology and are highly reviered as myths."

"Oh, Technomites!" Qwark exclaimed "That would explain a lot. Good to now."

"Just keep on your toes everybody," Flora said as they sailed through the hole with ease "Technomites never got ant cridit for their technology and i'm pretty sure they would be awfully cranky if they realize we're here."

The hover board exited the hole and they all saw a large fortress secured within a crack in the wall and Clank said "There is the Technomite fortress... but something does not feel right."

"Like what?" Ratchet asked

"I thought the Technomites would send some kind of security to prevent anyone from entering." Clank explained

Suddenly they came to a hault when flying Technomites surrounded them from all sides up and down the hover car with weapons locked and loaded and aiming right at their heads. everybody raised their hands and Ratchet mumbled to Clank "Way to go genius."

* * *

The next thing they knew they were all in chains at the office of the leader of the Techniomites, a large headed fellow with red robes and he said "Congratulations, you've found one of the many Technomites many fotresses. Unfortunetly for you, this fortress is mine and there is no way i will allow such simple minded creatures to invade."

"Sir, we can explain everything." Clank said "All we want is the key to find a machine that is hidden behind a powerful gate."

"You mean this key?" Otto asked as he pulled out the comet shaped key and waved it around "Maybe i'll let you go... however, one of you must stay behind."

"You can have Qwark." Ratchet said, which made the alien turn angrily at him.

"No," Otto said as he approuched his captives "I was thinking more along the lines of... her."

At 'her,' he pulled Talywn close to him and toyed with her hair as she struggled aginst her bonds "You see, being leader of the most supirior race has everything you could ever want... but it lacks a certin thing you need to keep the generation growing. By marrying this creature she will produse me with children and they shall take over my empire and importality will finally belong to the Technomites!"

Angered by this, Ratchet marched up toward's Otto's face and snarled "Don't you DARE lay one finger on her!"

"So sorry," Otto said, unaware that Flora slipped something into Ratchet's pockets while he spoke "But i've really come to liking this creature. If you dare stand in my way then i'll have no choice but to throw you into jail and eleminate you after the wedding ceremony. Guards!"

The guards dragged our heroes away as Otto ordered "Seperate the woman from the men, we do need a flower girl and some maides of honor for the upcoming wedding."

With that the Technomites dragged Talywn, Flora, Susie, Darby, Mrs. Spankenhiemer, Grandma, away from the guys down one hallway while the boys were dragged through the other.

* * *

Later, Talywn and the other females were forced into a fancy bedroom inside a tower after they had been forced to dress up in wedding clothes.

Talywn wore a glittering yellow wedding dress with yellow and brown heels. Susie wore a black flower girl dress with pink laces and yellow bows all around with yellow and dark purple shoes and Flora, Darby and the Spankenhiemer ladies all wore the same thing for bridesmaid dresses, light blue dresses with yellow laces and pink bows and magenta and pink shoes.

"There is no way i'm going to Marry a technomite." Talywn said "We've got to get out of here right now!"

"But they took everything we had and placed it with the guys." Mrs. Spankenhiemer said "Weapons, gadgets, even our clothes."

"You mean we're stuck here?" Daphne asked "Great! We're doomed and Talywn's going to be married to a tyrant! This is hopeless! We're doomed!"

Flora was about to intervine when something triggered in her memory banks. Something about her past and she lost track of what she was going to say for the new memory haunting her mind. A memory about her past life with her family.

"If only mother was here." Flora said "She always knew what to do."

"I want my mommy too!" Susie cried as she broke into tears after hearing the word 'Mother' and ran to the window crying as Talywn walked over towards the crying child and gentley pulled her close saying "There there Susie, don't cry. Everything will be ok. We'll escape somehow. I promise."

"I still want my mommy." Susie sobbed as she hugged Talywn sobbed. Music started to play and she started to sing

Both girls share memories of their mother at diffrent ages. Susie remembered when her mother was alive she used to take her daughter out for picnics. Susie ran around playing with her toy space ship while her mother, who had purple hair like her daughter and wearing a white dress, sat on a blanket with the picnic basket while she kept her eyes on her beloved daughter.

Talywn remembered a moment when she was still a baby and her mother, who looked like an older version of her wearing a blue dress, cradled her baby girl in her hands as Talywn shook her raddle around happily.

Flora's memory banks activated and she remembered a time before Tachyon took over and nearly killed all the lombaxs. You see, Flora was created from the DNA of a desesed lombax named Florance (The same name she had before she changed it) and such her soul and memories were programmed into the body of a robot for Tachyon's own evil perposes yet she remembered when she was young, made of flesh and living happily with her parents. Flora's child self was playing with her robot creations as they danced around and her mother, wearing a yellow sun dress, walked up towards her and gave her a kiss as the past self of the soon to be robot embraced her mother.

The three girls looked out the window as they saw the light of the sun shining through the cracks of the hole the fortress was in and sighed heavily.

Meanwhile the minions of Otto placed the ladies things in a pile near the door of the dungeon. Neither they nor Talywn knew it but when she had shrunken our heroes she failed to realized she had the dile of the shrink ray set to 'Temporary' and the time left on the shrinking effects were now reading eighteen minutes.


	16. Wedding Crashers

**Chapter Sixteen: Wedding Crashers**

In the dungeon Ratchet, Clank, Doofus, Jake, Buster, Mr. Spankenhiemer, Grandpa and Qwark were still locked away behind bars while Qwark shook the bars crying "Let me out of here! There's been a huge mistake! I'm an intergalatic super hero! I shouldn't be in here! I want my mommy! Where's my lawyer!? I was set up! I want out of here!"

"Calm Down Captain," Clank said.

"Calm down?!" Qwark asked frantically as he grabbed the robot and shook him violently "CALM DOWN?! We're in jail! How the heck am i suppose to calm down in such cramp quarters with little space and no sanitary needs like hand soap?!"

"Keep whining and i'll rip your lips right off your face." Ratchet said.

After Qwark placed him down Clank then noticed something sticking out of Ratchet's pants and said "Ratchet? What do you have in your pockets?"

"What? All i have is..." when the lombax checked his pockets he was surprised to pull out a small device with the words 'RYNO VI' on it "No way, a RYNO VI protosuit! One for me, Clank and Qwark!"

"Something for me?" Qwark asked "Sweet! Is it a cake with a nail file in it?"

"What's a RYNO VI protosuit?" Jake asked.

"Just watch." Ratchet said as he handed Qwark and Clank thier own RYNOs before they pressed a button and the trio were engulfed in a bright light before they reemerged inside robotic suits of armor with massise machine guns in their hands and missles on their backs. Ratchet's armor was orange, Qwark's armor was green and Clank's was gray.

"Wow!" Mr. Spankenhiemer gasped "I wish i had one of those growing up!"

"Jealous?" Ratchet asked with a grin before he aimed at the bars of the cage and blasted it clean off before saying "Let's get outta here! We've got a wedding to crash!"

* * *

Meanwhile a wedding march was played and the girls were forced to take their places while the Technomites took their places with weapons loaded and aimed at the girls as Talywn was lead down the alter towards Otto, who was dressed in a suit, and the pink alien felt sick and desperate a tthe same time as her brain worked overtime, trying to figure out what to do before she was forced to say i do.

The judge, a robot, stood behind Otto as Talywn was forced to stand next to him and he said "Now, first thing's first. If anyone does not want these two to marry, other then the bride and the bridesmaids, speak now or forever hold your peace."

KA-BOOM!

Suddenly the doors broke down and Ratchet and his crew burst in while he shouted "I object! And i say hands in the air!"

The Technomites then ran towards the group on the attack but Qwark, Clank and Ratchet easily blasted the entire group clear while The Spankenhiemers retrived Grandma, Mrs. Spankenhiemer, Darby, Susie, and Flora.

"Ratchet!" Talywn cried happily but then Otto grabbed her and shouted "You're coming with me!"

"Let me go!" Talywn cried.

Otto didn't have to go far because Ratchet ran towards him and blocked his exit, holding his gun loaded arms at the technomite's face. "Let her go now," Ratchet ordered "Or else i'm going to make one big messy stain on the wall."

Trembling, Otto let Talywn go and she ripped the key right off the technomite's neck and ran towards the other group as Darby recovered their clothes and helped the girls put their clothes back on (Behind the boy's backs of course behind a curtin she had stolen) said "Let's go!"

Talywn then noticed the timer on her shrink ray was now reading 'Zero' and she cried "Stand back! We're going to grow!"

And with that the group started to grow bigger and bigger until they broke out of the wall and landed on the floor, back to normal size. As they coughed out dust and dirt they saw the gaping hole the made and the remains of the Technomite fortress before the remaining technomites ran off screaming. Ratchet picked up his tail to reveal Otto hanging on to it, shouting angry words he couldn't hear.

"Heh, not so tough now are you?" Ratchet asked the technomite before he flicked the bad guy into the remains of his own fortress. He turned to his reunited group and said "Ok, let's get outta here."

"Oh no!" Qwark cried.

"What now?" Ratchet asked.

"We broke a hole right in my favorite room!" Qwark cried as he pointed to the living room where the books about himself, video games and more now rest covered in dust and rock.

* * *

Everyone returned to the ship and relaxed after they told Angela the good news. Ratchet walked along side Talywn and Flora as he said "Well, that was a crazy expereance for us right?"

"Sure it was," Talywn said "I mean, can you imagine me marrying that technomite? bleecck!"

"Yeah, he would've regreted it." Ratchet said "Oh, and thanks for the RYNOs Flora,"

"How did you ever know?" Flora asked teasingly before Ratchet held up a small note saying 'Use these' with a lipstick print and Flora's name on it "Oh, you like?"

"Yeah, love the weapons." Ratchet said "Only... What's with the lipstick inprint?"

"You'll see." Flora said as she giggled before she pecked Ratchet's left cheek and skipped away. Ratchet then realized what it ment and blushed as he stammered and said "I-I-I-She-and-uh-i-she-i..."

Talywn giggled at the sight of Ratchet's face and said "Looks like i'm not the only one who's soft on you. Flora's got a crush on you."

Ratchet could only blush redder as his tail tied itself into knots. Sure Flora was a nice girl robot but this? He just didn't feel the same way with her the way he felt toward's Talywn. And how about breaking it to her, would she cry? Or would she try to blast him into a million peices?

"Oh boy." Ratchet said "I... i don't know how to put this to her."

"Don't worry," Talywn said "When you feel ready then you'll tell her. I'm sure she'll understand."

"I'm more worried about what she'll do to me if i broke it to her the wrong way." Ratchet said "Or if she'll break me first."

"And here i thought you were the careless one." Talywn smiled before she kissed Ratchet's right cheek and left him alone saying "Don't worry, everything will be fine."

Ratchet thought about it and rubbed his right cheek saying "I sure hope your right."


	17. The DreadZone

**Chapter Seventeen: The DreadZone**

Meanwhile Tachyon was prancing around his bedroom in a fit of rage while Scarlet just brushing her hair without a care. "I can't belive this is happening! I just can't! How can she just walk out on me! I bet she even knew that tripod brat had the map to the dimentionator and allowed her to escape! Who dose that ungrateful metalic worm think she is?!"

He tore appart the pictures of Florance he had kept of her battling foes with her weapons and he continued ranting "Does she even have any idea who or what she just walked out on?! How can she do this to me! I pratically rescued her corpse and gave her a second chance of life! Being a relative of the greatest minds who created the Dimentionator should've provided me with the upperhand! Ugh! Now i wish i never came across that two-bit double crossing traitor!"

"You think she could've turned out better." Scarlet said "Now we have another defective robot rouge on the loose."

"When i catch those bots," Tacyon declaired "I'll make sure those rustbolts never get reactivated ever again! I've got to find a way to obliverate that lombax one and for all! But how!"

"Might i make a suggestion?" Scarlet asked with a whicked grin "I do remember a help wanted add for any new gladiators in a fight to the death, live and on air on a well known tv show."

* * *

Back at the Phoenix, everyone was relaxing same as always as they awaited their next mission from Angela. While waiting, Jake and Daphne thought it would be a good idea to watch some TV. They flipped through channals and had just settled on a space horse derby when suddenly the power went off and the ship started to shake.

"Wh-What's happening?!" Ratchet asked as he hung on to a chair.

"We're under attack!" Qwark cried "Every man for himself! Woman and children second!" he ran towards the door when it opened and a pair of heavily armed robots marched out and shout otu canisters of gas which made everyone pass out, save for Clank, Flora, Darby and Buster as they huddled next to their fainted loved ones while one of the guards said "By order of Gleeman Vox, everyone on this ship is here by coming to partisapate in the latest battles of DreadZone."

* * *

Ratchet's head spun as he slowly started to wake up, the first thing he realized once he fully woke up was that he was trapped in some kind of armor and he felt around the chest before he found a switch that disconnected his helmet to the armor and he took several deep breathes before he looked around the dark room.

"Uh, Clank? Jake? Guys? Anyone?" he asked.

Suddenly the lights went on, nearly blinding the lombax as he covered his face before his eyes ajust and he looked up to see a screen turning on to see a shark like alien smiling down on him saying "Oh good, you're awake. I was wondering if you were ever going to come around."

"Ugh, where am i?" Ratchet asked "Who are you and what the heck am i doing in this robotic monkey suit?"

"That is your offical DreadZone battle armor." The shark man said "I had my men slip it on you while you were taking a snooze. And second, the name's Gleeman Vox, and welcome to my show."

"D-DreadZone?" Ratchet asked "You mean that Iiligal show where heroes kill other heroes just to be top dog?"

"That's the one." Vox said with a whicked grin "And lucky you, you get to face one of my champions! That is, after you survive several other battles before that is."

"Sorry sir," Ratchet said "But you're going to have to find some other chump to play-"

"Oh, don't tell me." Vox said, interupting the lombax "You don't want any part of this. Well, let me explain just one simple thing with your plans. If you dare try to escape; i shall have no choice but to kill not only you but the entire posse you had on you're ship."

That caught Ratchet's attention and he snarled angrily "If you dare even touch one hair on my family or my friends; i'm going to make sure that fast talking mouth of yours gets ripped off your fat face!"

"Oooh! I love that threat! Such anger and emotion!" Vox exclaimed "Just the kind of thing my show needs! Just be sure you save it for the show. And don't worry, your group's fine. You'll find them in your new room that my men will escort you too. They aren't harmed but if you try anything funny, they will be. Including you."

Ratchet could only snarl as the robot men grabbed the lombax and dragged him away while the screen turned off and the lights turned off.

* * *

The robot men dragged Ratchet out of the elevator and placed him down before they marched away. Ratchet looked up to see Clank, Susie, Qwark, Jake, Daphne, Grandma, Doofus, Grandpa, Mr and Mrs Spankenhiemer louging around and Ratchet felt relief as he ran towards his family and said "Guys! I'm glad you're all ok."

"My baby!" Mrs. Spankenhiemer cried as she ran forward and hugged her son tight. Ratchet then noticed a mecahnical brace around his mother's neck and asked "Mom? What's that around your neck?"

"Vox told us that these are eletroshock braces." Grandpa said "Least, that's what i gander. He said that if any of us help you in the arena while you fight he'd shock us all with painful blasts."

"You have one yourself." Clank said, pointing to Ratchet's neck where the lombax felt the brace and did a head count. His family was there, Doofus was there, Clank was there, Qwark (Much to his annoyance) was there... but Talywn and the robots were not there.

"Where's Talywn?" He asked "And where's Darby, Buster and Flora?"

"Vox put them in another room." Mr. Spankenhiemer said "He seperated us into diffrent groups while you were asleep. You got us, Flora's got some other robots, Darby's got Buster and Angela, Talywn's got Zephyer and Cronk-"

"Wait, Angela, Zephyr and Cronk are here?" Ratchet asked in surprise.

"Yeah," Daphne said "Apparently seeing us on the latest TV promo caught their eye and now they're like us; prisoners awaiting death's door."

"And guess who set us up on this in the first place." Grandma said before she placed a note in Ratchet's hand that read 'Good Luck Lombax, die hard. Tachyon." Ratchet crunched the note up in anger and hissed "I am soooo getting him back for this!"

"I know," Qwark said "We just ran out of hand soap for the bathroom! It's also very smelly; like nobody's heard of hygine."

Ratchet groaned as he slapped himself "Please take him now," he muttered "Pllease take Qwark now."

"Ratchet!" Clank snapped.

"Kidding! Just kidding."


	18. The Brutal Battles

**Chapter Seventeen: The Brutal Battles**

Ratchet was lead to the middle of a large area where fans of DreadZone had gathered around, cheering madly for the first fight to begin. Ratchet felt sick; he had watched an episode of DreadZone once... and it gave him nightmares for a month. The entire show was popular because everyone though it was cool to watch heroes die. Truthfully, it wasn't. Especially when you're the next chump in line to die if your not careful!

As the lombax continued forward he was quickly joined by Talywn, Flora, Darby and Buster. And they were all wearing diffrent colored armor.

Talywn's armor was red and black with a dark yellow visor on her helmet

Flora's armor was dark brown and light brown with a white visor on her helmet

Darby and Buster didn't wear as much armor as the others, all Darby wore was a white chest plate and purple kneepads while Buster wore a dark purple helmet with a dark blue visor.

"Ok you guys," Ratchet said "We can figure a way out of this mess if we stick together and no matter what happens, don't die."

"I'm scared!" Darby cried "I don't like fighting."

"Just use as much weapons you've got loaded in your body," Talywn said "And don't worry, we can get through this without killing anyone... least i hope."

"Welcome one and all to our lastest heart stopping action packed and blood spilling episode of DreadZone!" the voice of Vox exclaimed in a loud booming voice over the mic "We have just rounded up a couple of new contestints who have 'dead meat walking' written all over their faces! First up is the mysterous, if not attractive, Talywn Apogee!"

A Spotlight shined on Talywn as she looked around while Vox said "According to what we've dug up her father, Max Apogee was a very popular treasure hunter who soon left her to join a band of pirates when she was only the age of six!"

"That's a lie!" Talywn cried angrily "My father never left me on perpose!"

"Then there's Florance." The spotlight shined on Flora as she shuffle her feet and Vox said "Don't let that look of furry fluff fool you, she's actually a deadly killer assasian who formally worked for Tachyon before she was fired for unnessisary toughtness!"

"Not true!" Flora cried "I just left him!"

"And who are these little cuties? Darby and Buster!" the spotlight shined on Buster and Darby as Vox said "Don't let their outside apperance trick you. They're just as dangerous as the lombax robot! After all, their robots too! Known for murdering half the cosmos with deadly atomic lasers and super grip that came in handy with stranggling their last ten owners."

"That's not true!" Flora cried "She's a little angel who never harmed anyone!"

"And, last but not least, here is their coldhearted leader; Ratchet!" the spotlight shined on Ratchet as Vox continued "This lombax is a true blue lombax, one of the last lombaxs in the universe! Not only has he recuted these chumps for his posse of trouble makers but he also plans to bring pain and suffering to those all around him so they'd hurt as much as he did in the past!"

"What is it with these lies?" Ratchet asked

"Take one good look folks!" Vox cried happily "This may be the last time any of them are seen still standing, and still alive! So now, let the battle between these scraps and our rainging champions; the EXTERMINATORS!"

Another door opened and out came a trio of feirce looking robots, each one showing off their powerful weapons to the audiance. The first was a large green robot/man/cyborg with green armor and he showed off by blasting his guns around in the air which made the crowd go wild.

The second was a huge robot with a nucular reactor attached to his body, his name was Dull Bookworm but everybody knew him better as Reactor.

The third was a bug like robot with razor blades that unsheethed from his wrists and he stood there with his blades in the air.

"Let's see who long this match will take." Vox said over the mic "Or which one of them will wet their pants first! The fighter who is left standing or is still in the arena putting up a good show he or she will make it to the next match, aginst their leader Ace Hardlight! Let the battle begin!"

The trio of robots ran forward with battle crys and Ratchet and his group did the same time as they bore their weapons strongly and toughly. From the stands and stalls crowds cheered madly while Clank and Company stood there in horror, fearing that if they didn't survive then they would lose those closest to their hearts.

The fight was brutal, long and very difficult. Darby and Buster chickened out when Reactor nearly smashed them with his fists but Darby's arms transformed into guns and lasers popped out of Buster's eyes, aimed at the robot they struck a powerful blow but were also blasted right out of the arena.

Talywn and Flora blocked all of Shellshock's attacks and Flora then used her robotic powers to morph into a large cannon that Talywn used to blast the robot right out of the arena.

Ratchet battled Eviscerator and used his wrench to bend his razors a bit before quickly flipping a ray gun that blasted the bug's wings right out of the sky. Unlike the others, Ratchet was finding himself enjoying the fight. He had never known that being a gladiator could be so much... fun!

By the time the match was over the battle was won and Ratchet was eager to fight more robots. He felt like he was on a roll! What he didn't know was that this new feeling he had gotten for fighting was going to cost him dearly at a very high price.

* * *

That's all i've got to write so far, but i have one question for all of you, out of Jake, Daphne, Mr. and Mrs. Spankenhiemer which one will take Ratchet's place to protect him from getting hurt by Ace Hardlight and should i use "There's no way out" from brother bear Or "What matters Most" from Escape from Planet earth for the next chapter?


	19. Caught up in the Glory

**Chapter Eighteen: Caught up in the Glory**

Four days went by and the group were still prisoners but Ratchet, who was becoming more and more popular by the fighting damage he had done was to busy to notice or even remember his mission. All he knew was that soon he was going to be a champion and he had gotten lots of fans who loved his skills in the battle field while Flora, Talywn, Darby and Buster were eliminated one by one and managed to survive it.

While Ratchet was busy with the fans he had gotten since the last battle, the rest of the group had been dismissed from the next fight. Talywn walked towards Cronk and Zepher who were waiting for her in Ratchet's 'room' with the others and Zephyr said "Are you all right Miss?"

"Just fine." Talywn said "I've handled alot worse."

"Are you ok?" Angela asked as she rushed to Darby and Flora's side

"I'm just glad it's over for us." Flora said "I really didn't like fighting like that."

"Where is Ratchet?" Clank asked worryingly, noticing Ratchet was not with with the group.

"He's signing autographs and stuff." Talywn said "Something Vox told us about wanting Ratchet as the next star or something."

"Don't tell me he's caught in the spotlight." Daphne said "That's just typical for a show off like him. I wonder if anyone in the arena is jeleous about how popular Ratchet's becoming."

* * *

"I CAN'T BELIEVE HE'S MORE POPULAR THEN YOU!" Vox boomed at Ace who was just as angry as his boss was about the growing reputation Ratchet was getting "It hasn't even been a week and already he's more popular then Captain Starshine what's his name ever was!"

"And i killed him ten months ago!" Ace said "He was such a pushover! Why should he be more popular then me?"

"Maybe it has something to do with the fact he's the_ last lombax alive_!" Vox snarled "We need something to break his reputation, tarnish it, make sure that he'll have to push himself close to death's door in order to reclaim his popularity! But what?"

Then the office door opened up and in came two robot guards with Mrs. Spankenhiemer in tow. "This one wants to talk to you about Ratchet." a guard said as he and the other bot let go of the lombax woman who stormed up in front of him and frowned at him.

"How could you let such things happen to my presious fluffy little baby boy Ratchet?!" She demanded "He's never been through so much tension or in so meny battles before and if you think that i'm going to just stick around and let my little baby get hurt, brused or worse then you better think again!"

Vox and Ace exchanged glances from the enraged mother and themselves before a lightbulb popped into Vox's head and he said smoothly "You know, you are right. It was really quite stupid of me to just throw someone as soft and plushy into an arena unprepaired and unprotected."

"You better get him out of these games right now before he gets himself seriously hurt right now!" Mrs Spankenhiemer said.

"Tell you what," Vox said "Let's make a deal. Ratchet fights Ace, he wins or loses, then he and the rest of his friends and family pack up and goes. Easy peasy."

"Oh, and while you're here, how about a little comentary? Stright from the mother lombax's mouth."

"Well, for starters i'm not really a lombax." Mrs. Spankenhiemer said "I'm really a human from earth who's DNA had been changed."

"Oooh, interesting," Vox said as he grinned evilly with Ace "Tell us more. People love to hear how their mothers think about their children. It's the least i can do after such a dramatic week after all. And since Ratchet's busy, why not someone very close to him?"

* * *

Ratchet returned to his room with a grin on his face as he strood into the room while Clank sat in a chair typing on a computer. "Did you see me beat the snot otu of those last chumps?" Ratchet asked "I am on fire today! I. Am. On. Fire."

"Ratchet," Clank said sternly "Do you know how many other heroes they have killed while we were here for only a week? And what about our mission to bring back the lombaxs?"

"Ah, they can wait." Ratchet said with a scoff "It's not like they're going anywhere right?"

"Oh Ratchet," Clank said with a sigh "Can you not see what being a gladiator has done to you?"

Before Ratchet could respond the tv turned on and a voice said "Special news live from DreadZone! This week, we give you a special report about the lastest gladiator; Ratchet the Lombax."

"Hey, they're talking about me!" Ratchet said happily but his smile turned into a frown when he saw, much to his horror, embarresing baby pictures of him on screen! "As from what we learned, Ratchet is a disgrace to the lombax community for his past, being stranded on a primative, unevolved planet earth by the unexpected death of his father with only his robot Clank for modern company he had been reared by humans, specifacly, the Spankenhiemer family. As you can see in these photots Ratchet had lacked a few things in life like normal friends, a regular family and other matters that we consiter abnormal. When we interviewed Mrs. Spankenhiemer, this is what she had to say."

The screen changed to Mrs. Spankenhiemer, who was human again thanks to Flora, and she said "Ratchet's always been the little fluffball of the family, mainly for being the only one for actually having fur and a tail, but all the more reason why we had to keep extra care for our special little cuddly ball of fluff safe from those who'd want to do him harm. Like the time our goverment though he was dangerous and wanted to cut him open to study on him, and that was when he was a baby! Luckily we proved he could do no harm and he kept Ratchet as our own little presious plushy babykins."

The screen turned to Ace, who was laughing along with many, many others and Ace said "Hahaha! What a laugh riot! He's no opponent, he's a big alien mama's boy!"

Clank quickly turned off the screen before things went ugly and then heard a thud. He turned to see Ratchet, who had fainted due to being so humiliated, and Clank said "Oh Dear."


	20. A mother's Love part 1

**Chapter Nineteen: A Mother's Love Part One**

Ratchet, awake and humiliated, marched forward towards the gathered group and he went up towards his mother, who was still a human, and said "Mom, I can't believe you'd do this to me! What did you say about me on TV that i know i wasn't suppose to hear?"

"Oh Ratchet," Mrs. Spankenhiemer said "Flora allowed me to become human again so i could be interviewed and-"

"Turn me into a laughting stock!" Ratchet snapped.

"Uh, i think now's a good time to take a walk." Zephyr said before the rest of the group walked off. The Spankenhiemers had never seen Ratchet so mad before but they knew better then to try and calm him down, at least for now. After the group left Mrs. Spankenhiemer said "Did... did i do something wrong?"

"You did EVERYTHING wrong!" Ratchet cried "You let them post my baby pictures on tv! You told them those stupid baby names you keep calling me! You singlehandedly discraced not only me but my entire reputation and my race! I'm ruined! And it's all your fault!"

"But Ratchet," Mrs. Spankenhiemer said "I was only doing what i thought was best for you."

"By bringing me down and making me a big fat joke?" Ratchet asked.

"I... i... i thought that... i mean..." Mrs. Spankenhiemer said, trying to figure out how to calm her son while trying to figure out what to say "I... i just didn't want anything bad to happen to my baby."

"I'm not a baby anymore," Ratchet said "I'm pratically starting my twenties! It's not like i carry a baby blanket around me or a stuffed animal, i'm old enought to be on my own!"

"You're still a baby in my eyes." Mrs. Spankenhiemer said "And it's been that way ever since i saw you in your dying father's arms and took you under my wing."

"Something tells me i wish i was better off that way." Ratchet said.

Mrs. Spankenhiemer gasped and said "But your father was mere seconds away from dying! It was his last wish to take you under our our care and raise you like he would."

"Sometimes i wish i was raised by real lombaxs instead," Ratchet siad "And now, i'm even more sure that being rasied by humans was the worst thing that ever happened to me."

"But-"

"If i even had to be, why did it have to be with you?" Ratchet asked before he left the room. Broken hearted Mrs. Spankenhiemer slipped to the floor and started to sob while Ratchet stormed out to be alone.

* * *

Ratchet stood over a platform overlooking the empty docking station where he sat on a box and huffed about what his mother had done. He was sure he could imagin Ace and those gladiators laughing at him. Laughing, tormenting him. It was driving him mad just thinking about it. In fact, just thinking about those gladiators laughing reminded him of something else...

* * *

_Flashback_

Ratchet was still on earth inside a day care and he was a toddler who was just getting the hand of talking and walking upright. He dragged around a toy wrench while sucking his thumb and Clank opened the back door so that he could go outside with the other human kids. Young Ratchet walked outside with Clank beside him and he cooed when a butterfly landed on his nose before flying away.

Ratchet giggled and ran to catch the butterfly as he cried "Butterfly!" He chased the butterfly across the playground until he hit himself on the fence by accident and fell down, sniffling as his tears started to water and he cried as someone shouted "Hey Look! The mutant kitty hurt himself!"

Laughter filled young Ratchet's ears as he continued to sob dispite Clank's best efforts to get the kids to stop. The little lombax continued to cry until someone ran up to him and picked him up. He managed to see his mother through teary eyes as she shooed the other kids away and cradled him dearly saying "There there my little Ratchet, It's ok. Mommy's here now. Mommy's right here."

"Sniffle... Mama... mama..." Ratchet said as he slowly started to calm down while Mrs. Spankenhiemer hushed him sweetly and gave him a big kiss on his forehead, which left a kiss imprented on his forehead and made him smile as he sighed sweetly "Mama."

Flashback ends

* * *

"Mom..." Ratchet said sadly, the memory of his mother's kindness brought a strong ache in his heart, in ache of guilt. In fact, he had never thought about it before but everything his mother did... it was for him. Growing up on earth was a bit diffrent from the other planets but at least there he had... a family. A special family.

Ratchet's eyes started to water when memories of his past flew across his mind, he had been raised by a wonderful family. He got a loving mother and father, devoted grandparents, a great brother and sister, even a cool pet dog. He also had Clank and other human friends to turn to. The more he thought about it, the more he realized hw was wrong to have said those things to his mother. His _Beloved_ mother, the one he just spurrned not to long ago.

Ratchet felt awful that he just hurt his mother's feelings and sat there, trying to think of whay to say so that he could go back and apologize to her.

* * *

Meanwhile, Mrs. Spankenhiemer and Flora sat alone near the armory room and the human mother sobbed as she said "How could i've done such a stupid thing? I must've made Ratchet look just like a clown! No wonder he got upset with me. But i don't want Ratchet to get hurt any more. What am i going to do?"

"I have no idea." Flora said then she got an idea and said "Wait, maybe there is a way! What if another lombax took Ratchet's place?"

Before Mrs. Spankenhiemer could ask Flora zoomed into the armory room and came out with an extra set of lombax armor that looked just like Ratchet's own armor and said "What if i take Ratchet's place and beat the snot out of Ace? While they are distracted you guys can all make a break for it and i can teleport out of the arena and we'd all be able to escape without a scrap!"

"One problem," Mrs. Spankenheimer said "Won't they notice you once you do those... crazy... robot parts... you've got or even try a metal detector or something on you since you're made out of metal?"

"That's right!" Flora cried "They'll check me before i even get out there and they'll know it's not Ratchet but me! But... Then who else is going to take Ratchet's place?"

Mrs. Spankenhiemer looked at Flora then at the armor before she said "I... i know who can take Ratchet's place... just get your DNA machine up and ready."


	21. A mother's Love part 2

**Chapter Nineteen: A Mother's Love Part Two**

The arena was filled with cheering fans as Vox overlooked the arena in his hovering platform, pleased by how much fans were attneding the battle as Ace stood ready in the arena. "Alright ladies and gentlemen," Vox said thought a mic "The moment you've all been waiting for has arrived! The moment where Ace Heardlight takes on up and coming champion, Ratchet Spankenhiemer! And trust me when i say folks, i abriviate the 'Spank' part in his name very highly. Now let's get ready to rumble!"

The doors of the arena opened and out came a lombax in armor, whom everyone believed was Ratchet, as the armored figure looked around and shuffled around nervorsely "Let's hope he's wearing fresh underwear under that suit." Vox said before he hollored "Let the battle begin!"

Ace took out his blasters and tried to blast his oppoinent while 'Ratchet' ran away screaming.

* * *

Back in the hub, the group watched on as Ace continued to blast, nearly hitting the lombax as Clank exclaimed "Something is most wrong, Ratchet would never behave like this before."

"You think he suddenly got cold feet?" Jake asked before the doors open and, much to everyone's shock, Ratchet stepped out and said "Has anyone seen Mom? I Can't find her anywhere."

"Wait, Ratchet?!" Mr. Spankenhiemer cried in shock "You... you're not in the arena!"

"Of course i'm not," Ratchet said "I've been at the hanger trying to figure out how to apologize to my mom."

"Then, if you are not in the arena... then who is that?" Clank asked as he pointed to the screen where the lombax continued to run in terror.

Ratchet was shocked and realized who it was before anyone else did "MOM!"

* * *

Indeed the Lombax in armor was Mrs. Spankenhiemer, who changed her DNA to be a regular lombax but in her haste she didn't allow Flora to properly change her DNA enterly and the result was that she suddenly started to grow taller and her tail got smaller.

Ace tried to shoot the lombax down as Mrs. Spankenhiemer fumbled with her weapons and tried to get her blaster to work but she missed and accidently hit a wall while Ace cried "Ha! Nice shot champ! Here's how a real pro does it!"

He aimed at the lombax and fired, knocking her right off her feet and sent her crashing into the ground. As she tried to pick herself up her human form fully returned and she outgrew the lombax armor which burst to a few peices and her armor popped off and her face was exposed for all to see.

"What the-You're not Ratchet!" Ace cried as the croud gasped in shock at ths discovery

"No... i'm not." Mrs. Spankenhiemer said as she clutched her wound "And... i refuse to let my baby boy get hurt. It's... my duty as his mother..."

"Oh well now, isn't this a twist?!" Vox cried as his platform hovered above the two "We expected Ratchet, but instead we get his mispit mother! Which reminds me of a question we didn't ask when we interviewed you, how could you possibly be that little furball's mother when he dosn't look like you or even come from the same planet as you?"

"Is that what you think... family is all about?" Mrs. Spankenhiemer asked "That you should look alike and come from the same planet?"

"Years ago..." The weakened woman explained dispite her pain "Ratchet's father, Kaden, crash landed on earth, he interupted our honeymoon but only because he was sererly wounded, his ship was destroyed and he was on his death bed. Kaden's last wish was for Ratchet to grow up and live a happy life even in spite of him being stranded on an alien planet. He gave us Ratchet and we took him and Clank in as family. And... he's been my son ever since."

"Oh how touching," Vox said teasingly "It's true that a mother's love will go far, even if the mother would have to go halfway across the galaxy and get killed by gladiators! Oooh, that will surely bring in ratings. Finish her off!"

Ace aimed his blaster at the woman and was about to blast her again when suddenly a blurr came out of no where and knocked Ace off his feet before standing in front of him and the woman.

"Ratchet!" Mrs. Spankenhiemer gasped happily as her son stood in front of her.

"Nobody hurts my mom." Ratchet said angrily as he gripped his wrench tightly and turned to Ace saying "Alright Ace, are you feeling lucky or not?"

"Anytime you're ready punk." Ace said and that was all he got to do before his butt whooped by an angry Ratchet, who wasted no time in beating the snot out of the brute that hurt his mother. By the time he was done Ace was already sprawled across the floor and battered like he had just been hit by bullet train.

Ratchet stood over Ace as he tried to pick himself up but Ratchet pinned him down with his foot and said "If you ever hurt my mother again, i'm going to make sure it's the last thing you'll ever do."

"Don't look now bub," Ace groaned "But i think your mother's going to be sick."

"What?" Ratchet turned and was horrifyed to see his mother trying to stand up but kept falling down while clutching her chest, with blood dripping down from her fingers "MOM!" He ran to her side as his mother started to lose conscence and she gazed at him sadly while tears formed in Ratchet's eyes while his mother kissed his cheek before she became limp and motionless "Mom! Mom! Mommy!"

No matter how much Ratchet begged his mother didn't stir again. Tears formed and leaked from the lombax's face as he fell ot his knees and sobbed. As he continued to sob Vox said "Ah, forget about the old bat. With her outta the way you can do stuff like go to parties, have ladies over, poker games! Who cares if she's gone, you should be thrilled! You're the new gladiator champion now! You're gonna go far kid, real far!"

Ratchet got up, his fists clenched tightly and anger burning inside him, and said "If you think... i'm going to let this injustice slip by me... think again." He turned to face Vox, his eyes filled with fire then he grabbed his eletroshock brace and pulled it apart, breaking the brace and freeing him from being shocked. Then he tore off more of his armor, torso, sholders and pants as Vox, seeing the danger coming from the lombax's eyes, said "Uh, maybe we can work out a deal pal. How's about we-"

"How about i shove my fist into your mouth?!" Ratchet asked before he hopped on Vox's platform and then tackled the alien, making him scream like a little girl as he punch, kicked and blasted him until he was so weak he couldn't even think stright as he mumbled "Wow, what a rating's grabber..." before Ratchet punched him and knocked him out.

Ratchet noticed that Vox had one of the keys they had been looking for around his neck and took it before he hopped off and ran back towards his mother's side. He held his mother close and tight as he sobbed and held her close while crying his heart out "Mom... Mommy... I'm so sorry..."


	22. A Mother's Love Part 3

**Chapter Twenty: A Mother's Love Part Three**

Dispite having found yet another key and finally freed from DreadZone, Ratchet still felt misrable. His mother had taken quite a beating and even thought she was being tend to by doctors he couldn't help but feel guilty about his actions. He sat alone in his bedroom, huddled together and crying for all his pain was worth. As he continued to sob he heard the door open and in came Daphne, Jake (both who were human again) and Clank.

"Ratchet..." Jake said sadly "Are... are you ok?"

"No," Ratchet said softly as tears streamed down his face "It's all my fault... it's all my fault... because of me, Mom had to... She..." he burried his face with his pillow and continued to sob while Clank, Daphne and Jake clumbed into the bed with him.

"We... we also heard everything you said." Daphne said "You know... what you told mom in DreadZone and... did... did you mean it? About how you wish we were lombaxs instead of... humans."

"I wish i never did." Ratchet replied "I... I can't believe this had to happen to her... why her and not me?"

"Well... there is good news." Jake said.

"Is... is she ok?" Ratchet asked with a slight smile, hopeing that this was the good news.

"The doctors are done tending to her." Clank said "She's still in a deep sleep."

Ratchet's heart sank and the lombax sighed as he said "I... i guess i should... check on her myself."

"If you want." Jake said "And remember, no matter what happens it's not your fault."

_Easier said then done, speically since it is my fault. _Ratchet thought as he hopped off his bed and walked towards the door and left. He walked all the way to his parent's room and peeked inside. There on the bed was his mother, with bandages wrapped around her head, arms, chest and, true to Clank's word, was in a deep sleep.

Ratchet's heart grew heavy as he walked towards the bed, his legs becoming jelly with every step until he fell on his knees next to her and he said "Mom? Mom, C-Can you hear me?"

Nothing.

"M-Mom? It's me, Ratchet... you're little boy, remember? You're lombax son."

Still nothing.

Ratchet, with fresh tears streaming down his eyes, rubbed his hand across his mother's hand as he cried "Oh Mom...i... i'm so sorry... i'm so very sorry... it's all my fault... why did i ever even leave earth? Why did i ever... push you away... i... i'm so sorry... i'm so very sorry."

Ratchet moved upward as he gently stroked Mrs. Spankenhiemer's cheek and his ears drooped over his head while he shed more tears. If only he hadn't have hurt her feelings in the first place. Then this never would've happened.

Ratchet closed his eyes and his mind drifted back to his youth, remembering everything that his human mother had done for him as he grew up on planet earth. The love she had given him, the attention, the affection, the advice and the life skills he had earned... and not once had he ever thought twice about regretting her for a mother... until now.

When he was just a year old he was waddling towards his mother with his thumb in his mouth and his other hand dragging his wrench behind him while his mother was tending to a garden. He tugged on his mother's apron and Mrs. Spankenhiemer saw the lombax and pulled him close in a hug while his tail wrapped around his arm.

When he was eight he tripped over his tail in the middle of the night and scapped his knee. He cried as his parents came out and the first to respond right away was his mother, who cradled little Ratchet in his arms and held him still while Mr. Spankenhiemer put on the bandage and the ointment before they allowed Ratchet to sleep in his bed with Mrs. Spankenhiemer gave him a good night kiss and held him in her arms all through the night.

Back in the present Ratchet's heart was pratically breaking as he hugged her tightly and almost covered her face in his tears before he slipped out of his grasp and fell on the floor, huddling near the bed as he continued to cry.

"I love you mom." He sobbed "I love you... i love you as much as the galaxy filled with endless planets and stars... please don't leave me... i love you."

"I love you too."

When Ratchet heard his mother's voice he thought he was dreaming it but when he felt a gentle hand stroke across his head he imediantly jumped up and he saw the loving face of his mother giving him a warm smile.

"Mom!" he cried as he wrapped his arms around his mother and hugged her tightly. Mrs. Spankenhiemer hugged her son tightly and said "You didn't think i'd really leave you did you?"

Ratchet smiled as tears flowed down his face again but this time they were out of joy. "I... i'll never shun you ever again." he said as his mother gave him a kiss "Never... i swear it."

"That's my baby." Mrs. Spankenhiemer said. Normally Ratchet would feel a bit annoyed but now just hearing her made his heart soar faster then light speed. He was just so happy to have his mother back and nothing was going to tear him appart from her ever again.


	23. Time Problems and Abductions

**Chapter Twenty One: Time Problems and Abductions**

The next ten days went by and the ship flew inside the Phylax Sector as Talywn and Susie gazed at an approucing planet. "Where are we going?" Susie asked.

"Up ahead is Planet Quantos." Talwyn said "That next key should be right down there somewhere and we've got to find it before someone else takes it like the last keys we had to pray out of their hands. Where's Ratchet?"

"He's still with his mommy, making sure she's recovering." Susie said.

Talwyn softened when she heard that answer. She knew Ratchet had spent a lot of time with his mother, knowing that he had endless guilt and misrery that fueled him into becoming her body guard, his wound was deeper then she had thought and she said "Well... tell him that everyone is getting a tracking device so that we won't end up lost."

"Aye Aye!" Susie said as she saluted and scurried off to tell everyone about the news.

* * *

Later Ratchet was once again in his mother's room, informing her of the mission and loading himself up as he said "We're going to retrive the next key that's down on planet Quantos. Don't worry mom, i'll be back very soon."

"Take your time sweetie," Mrs. Spankenhiemer said "After all, your father and Clank already said they were going to stay behind and look out for me."

"It... it's just that... i... i..." Ratchet tried to speak but he couldn't find it in his heart to finish, he was too full of guilt and trying to say the reason why he wanted to stay with her longer was only making it harder for his heart to say then his voice.

"I understand sweetie." Mrs. Spankenhiemer said sweetly as she stroked Ratchet's cheeks "But you must let go of the past because it won't help you create a brighter future if you remain hurt by your past actions."

"I... i never ment to... hurt you." Ratchet said, trying to hold back a tear while one managed to escape and slide down his cheek.

"Oh Ratchet." The woman cooed as she pulled Ratchet into a hug, one the lombax wished could last forever. "I forgive you for everything. You were just hurt and when you're hurt you tend to do hurtful things to others. But that dosn't mean that you should remain hurt forever. Just remember, love remains open to anyone no matter how bad they are or what they have done. But only yo those you believe should have a second chance."

"Well, i am totally not giving Tachyon a hug anytime soon." Ratchet said "I'd rather give him a knickle sandwich with all the trimmings."

"Make it extra toppings for me ok?" Mrs. Spankenhiemer asked with a grin.

Ratchet was surprised and stared at his mother before he grinned and said "Yeah, i've make sure he gets an extra beating just for you."

"That's my good boy." Mrs. Spankenhiemer said before she kissed his cheek and leaned back in her bed, drifting off to sleep while Ratchet walked off before he took out the pocket watch and opened it, staring at the picture of his father and Azimuth while saying "Thanks for giving me to the Spankenhiemers dad, You made the right choice after all."

* * *

The ships landed on the planet and everyone jumped out, looking around at the vast jungle the island had with tropical birds singing, a cool yet humid mist that hung over the air, it was like any other jungle they had ever known during their past intergalatic travels.

"OK, the sooner we find the key, the sooner we can find the last one and get the Dimentionator." Ratchet told his crew as they traveled deep into the jungle.

"Can't we take some pictures along the way?" Qwark asked as he held up a camera "I'm sure that pictures of the jungle would make it just right for..." Qwark's voice trailed off when he spied something strange and he pratically dropped his camera when he did.

"Qwark, what's... whoa." Ratchet gasped.

All around them there was something mighty strange happining on the planet. Some birds just hung in the air as a blue aura shined over them and some crumbing building parts just hung over the ground, suspended in mid-air just like the birds while the same aura shined over the rubble.

"Okay..." Cronk said "This is... unusual."

"Somehow, i get the feeling that someone just pressed the pause button on some parts of the planet." Jake said "Like what we do when we watch DVDs back home."

"Yeah, only it's not a machine that's frozen," Ratchet said "It's... like time itself just froze. The Question is... how is this possible?"

* * *

Later, the group returned and Zephyr said "I can't believe we spent several hours hunting for the temple, only to find the key already taken. This is just not our day is it?"

"Dad! We're back!" Ratchet said when he saw his father run up to him with a disturbed look on his face "Dad? What's wrong?"

"I... i... small... aliens..." Mr. Spankenhiemer said, out of breath before he took several deep breathes and cried " We were tending to your mother when suddenly some small robotic robots calling themselves the Zoni just took Clank and mom away!"

"What?!" the group cried in shock.

Ratchet ran away from the group and burst into the room. Ratchet faced the bed and, much to his horror, his healing mother was not in the bed and Clank was no where to be found.

The lombax felt as if somebody had just stabbed him in the chest as he clutched his chest and slid down to the floor, tears spilling out of his eyes. "No... Clank... Mom... i... how... how could this have happened?"

He covered his face and sobbed as hard as he could, wishing he had never left his best friend and his defenceless mother alone in the first place.


	24. Advice from Kaden

**Chapter Twenty Two: Advice from Kaden**

When his mother and his best friend was taken away, Ratchet had never been seen resting without searching for answers to why the zoni took them and, more inportently, what were the Zoni anyway. He was driven to find his mother and his best friend no matter what the cost. He poured everything on his search, learning more about the Zoni and figuring out which weapon would prove usefull of the zoni were a dangerous race.

It had taken quite a while but luckily, with the tracking beacons still attached to Clank, they were able to locate his whereabouts without any problems and mishaps.

Their ship sailed across the stars and the galaxies as the mispit group continued their daily buisness while prepairing themselves to arrive at wherever Clank and Mrs. Spankenhiemer were.

"Are we close to wherever Mom and Clank are?" Daphne asked as she pointed at the digital map while Ratchet handled the computers.

"Yeah, we should be there by morning." Ratchet said before he sighed in a gloomy way and said "We should all get some sleep like everyone else did."

"But we want to help you." Jake said "And you're not acting like yourself recently."

"Yeah, ever since those Zoni people took your mother and Clank you've been refusing to eat, drink and even sleep." Mr. Spankenhiemer said.

It was true, Ratchet had worn himself out with endless research, his ears drooped a few inches from his head, his eyes were blood shot, he had bags under his eyes and his tail was being dragged across the floor since it didn't have enough energy to even wag. The lombax looked like a mess but he turned his back and said "You guys go off to bed, i'm staying here."

"No Ratchet." Mr. Spankenhimer said "Just look at yourself. Can't you see you look terrible?"

"I don't care," Ratchet said "I'd endure anything just so i'd get a shot on that scum who took mom and Clank."

"But Ratchet," Mr. Spankenhiemer said "Without energy, you'd probably be beaten before you can even draw your first weapon!"

It was then that Ratchet shot a death glare at his father and said "Oh, i get it. You don't think i can handle it. You think that-that i'm just going to let those creeps do serious damage to Clank and Mom while i just take a nap? D-Does this mean that now you're the guy in charge?"

"N-no! That's not what i ment to say." Mr. Spankenhiemer said.

"You think that just because i'm tired and sore that i'm just going to lay around while those Zoni do horrible things to Mom and Clank?"

"Ratchet, i'm only saying what's best for you."

"What do you know?!" Ratchet suddenly snapped angrily, startling Mr. Spankenhiemer, Jake and Daphne "You're not even my birth father! Kaden would have endured months and months of hardships, sacrafices and more if it was me or his wife. I've been living in outer space while you were on your lazy chair back on planet earth and from what i know you have to take action now and relax and focus later. That's what my dad would've done, but what about you?"

Mr. Spankenhiemer just backed slowly away and Daphne and Jake ran off to fallow their father.

Ratchet watched as the family ran off back to their room and his anger was replaced with sarrow. He fell to his knees and tears fell from his eyes as he rubbed his face and his head, trying to pull himself together but he was losing as he continued to cry.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the locket and stared at the picture of Alizter and Kaden on it. He gently stroked a finger across his father's picture and he said "Oh dad... what would you do? I... i don't know what to do... it... it's like i'm losing everything... i just... don't know what to do..."

Ratchet tried to pull himself together but he couldn't as he slipped into a chair, leaned back and then drifted off to sleep...

* * *

In his dreams he was standing in front of an open field and he looked around to see nothing but trees, a bright blue sky with puffy white clouds and a mountain landscape in the far distance. He heard a sound and turned to see Kaden, leaning on a tree and staring at his wrench as Ratchet ran up to him and cried "Dad! Is it really you!?"

"It is," Kaden said, but he didn't sound as excited as Ratchet had thought he would "But don't you have another father to worry about?"

"Oh... well," Ratchet started "You see... i mean... he... i..."

"Dosn't he mean the entire galaxy to you as much as your mother and your siblings as much as your best friend?" Kaden asked

The young lombax sighed and said "Dad... i... i didn't mean to... it's just... i've been through so much and... and i... i can't... I... thought you'd understand."

"I do understand." Kaden said "I would do anything for you and your mother if you were ever taken away from me. But that dosn't mean i'd have to face it alone. And it dosn't mean you were all the family i've got. Take Alister, he's my best friend and if he wanted to be he could've also have been your uncle."

Ratchet felt his heart become heavy and he sighed as he said "Well... i... he... oh dad, i've really messed up. I... I just wanted to get my mom and my best friend back. I hurt my mom's feelings and she got hurt because of me... And Clank's been my best friend since i was a baby. I just... i just don't want to lose them..."

Kaden smiled softly and gently lifted his son's head so he'd look at him eye to eye and said "I understand Ratchet, Mr. Spankenhiemer understands to... After all, he's your father too. Remember?" Ratchet smiled as he remembered his past, like Mrs. Spankenhiemer he had also had a place in his heart for his human father. He treated Ratchet no diffrient from any son, even if he did shed and prefered inventing over sports, and supported him in everything.

"He may not be like me," Kaden said "But he's perfect just the way he is, you shouldn't have that changed for anything. Always remember that."

"Thanks dad." Ratchet said with a smile. But then Kaden vanished and so did everything else as Ratchet cried out "Dad?! Dad! DAD!"

* * *

"Dad... Dad... Dad..."

"Ratchet, wake up."

Ratchet opened his eyes and saw Mr. Spankenhiemer looking at him with a concerned look on his face and he said "Ratchet... is this a bad time to talk?"

"All i want to say is... i'm sorry." Ratchet said before he jumped out of the chair and wrapped his arms around his human father, hugging him as he said "I'm so sorry about what i said... i'm so sorry... i just wanted to find mom and Clank so badly... i just don't want to lose anyone from my family."

"And you won't." Mr. Spankenhiemer said in a soothing voice as he picked up his lombax son and stroked his back "Because you're Ratchet and you'll never let it happen... and i won't ever leave you. Not ever."

The crying lombax started to relax as he hugged his father, tears falling from his eyes as he finally stopped and he sighed as he hugged his father and he in turn carried Ratchet back to his bedroom for some well deserved sleep.


	25. Arrival at the Clock

**Chapter Twenty Three: Arrival at the Clock**

Mrs. Spankenhiemer awoke on a couch in the middle of a large metalic room with various parts resembling a working clock, clicking, whurlling and ticking away as she realized Clank was in her arms and he activated himself as she said "Clank, where are we?"

"I do not know." Clank said "The last thing my memory banks ever recorded was a group of small aliens flying around us on the ship and..." his voice trailed off when he looked around the room and said "Somehow... this looks familier... but how?"

It was then that the Zoni came into the room and they spun around the couch as Mrs. Spankenhiemer yelped and held on to Clank as she said "Who are you? Where are we? A-and why did you bring us here?"

"I can explain that."

A red robot with a green screened computer and a silver bottom half that hovered a few inches from the ground came around the chair and fumbled for something to say before he said "Uh, hi. Nice to see your both awake. Sir and Madame.. or was that Sir's mother madam? Oh dear..."

"Who are you?" Mrs. Spankenhiemer asked as she sat up before she realized something "Hey, my body dosn't ache anymore!"

"That's because we healed you while you were sleeping with a special cross between medical sciance and magic." The robot said "Crazy huh?"

"You still haven't told us who you were." Clank said.

"Oh, right! I'm Sigma 04261A. But you can call me Sigmund, Junior caretaker of the Great Clock, which is where you are. And might i say it is good to have you back sir?"

"Have i... been here before?" Clank asked.

"Oh dear," Sigmund said worryingly "I knew it, i told them that his memory banks were damaged when those brutes attacked! How could i have been so-"

"Wait, i don't understand." Mrs. Spankenhiemer said "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, well..." Sigmund said "For starters, this is, or was, Clank's home. Back to when he was previously called XJ-0461. Then some space pirates took Clank and we tried to rescue him but we failed. We've been looking for him for a long time before the lombaxs rescued him and took him to Fastoon. We were about to come and bring him home when he was moved again, this time to Planet Earth."

"Wow, so... Clank belongs here?" Mrs. Spankenhiemer asked.

"Yep, it was formally his father's, Orvus." Sigmund said "But... let's just say he's not with us anymore. So now this entire place belongs to Clank, the new Senior care taker of the Great Clock. That means he's in charge of the place."

"We have guests." the Zoni said as the large screen in front of them showed the Phonix coming into view and Mrs. Spankenhiemer cried "My baby's on that ship! Where's the landing dock?"

"But-But-But we're not suppose to have visitors here!" Sigmund cried in alarm "How did they find us so easily?"

"Never mind that now." Clank said "They are trusted allies. Allow them entry."

"Yes, sir." Sigmund said as he left the room while the Zoni hovered away in flashes of light.

* * *

The ship parked next to the clock and the group looked around in amazment as they all stared at the clock's gears and bolts clicking and ticking as power surge through the large mass of machine.

"This is one for the album." Quark said as he took out his camera and took pictures.

Ratchet looked around and shouted "Hey! Anybody here?"

The Zoni's responded to Ratchet's call and they said "He is here."

"Yeah yeah, i'm here." Ratchet said "But what i want to know is what you've done with my mother and my best friend?"

"We only took them to fix them." one of the Zoni said "Heal them. Restore them, one of them is ready to see you."

They led Ratchet inside the clock while the rest of the group fallowed and they entered the large room where Mrs. Spankenhiemer was, all better and admiring the Zoni.

"MOM!" The kids cried happily.

Ratchet, Jake and Daphne were the first to reach their mother before they hugged her tight, but Ratchet held her the tightest as tears started to form in his eyes "Mom... oh mom, you're ok! I'm so sorry for all this! Are you ok?"

"Thanks to the Zoni." Mrs. Spankenhiemer said as Mr. Spankenhiemer, Grandma, Grandpa and Doofus ran to her side and embraced her "I've never felt so energized in my whole life. Must be a thank you gesture for us taking care of Clank."

"Taking care of Clank?" Ratchet asked in confusion "What does that have to do with healing you?"

"Well," the human woman said "You're never going to believe it but apparently Clank's the new owner of this place, the Great Clock."

That left Ratchet Dumbstruck as he asked in surprise "What?"


End file.
